Fifty Caliber Cat
by MarcusLaurence
Summary: After the events of Volume 3, Blake leaves her team behind to seek revenge on those responsible. However, her plans are interrupted when her targets are killed in front of her, dispatched by a sniper that seems to have made it their goal to kill every member of the White Fang.
1. Hunting Cat

**This will be a long-form story, and I'm excited to write for my new favorite rarepair! Also, I'm officially dubbing this ship "Hunting Cat." If you have time, tell me what you think - it's always appreciated.**

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" _We now go to Lisa Lavender, reporting from the entrance of the Beacon Academy quarantine zone."_

" _Thank you Cyril. Two months since what is now being referred to as 'The Fall of Beacon,' the Hunters Association together with the Atlas Military has finally declared a lower state of alert in Vale. Beacon Academy has been successfully quarantined for 47 days without incident, but will continue to be maintained as a high-risk area due to the high density of Grimm activity. Recent searches for survivors and victims haven't yielded results, and the Atlas Military has declared that all survivors have been successfully evacuated from the school grounds."_

" _In other news, the Vale Police Department has reported increased White Fang activity-"_ The radio buzzed as Blake turned the power knob with a grimace. Her hand lingered on the box before she turned away with a heavy sigh. She glanced at her scroll, which read 10:50 pm.

"It's time," she said aloud to no one in particular, getting up from her seat. She crossed her meager living space to a small desk on which Gambol Shroud and neatly arranged rows of recently filled magazines were laid. _I've been trailing the White Fang for a while now. I'm getting close to finding him._ Her narrowing eyes punctuated the thought. _Soon._ Blake allowed her mind to wander as she began filling the fifth and final magazine, methodically timing the click of the cartridges to the loud tick of the second hand on the wall clock. Fifteen seconds and cartridges later, she quickly slid the magazine into Gambol Shroud and cocked it, sheathing the extended katana in the cleaver section.

As she made her final preparations, Blake went over her plan one final time. _The kid I interrogated last week said three White Fang operatives are meeting in an office building on the northern edge of the Industrial District. I'll approach from the west and enter the building from the second floor. After making sure the area is clear, I'll head to the third floor and immediately take two of them out, leaving one conscious for questioning. If they don't know where he is, I can at least get information about another meeting location, or one of the White Fang's hideouts._

She paused at this thought, thinking of her eventual meeting with Adam, and from there, their previous one at Beacon. With effort, she squashed the feeling of fear rising in her stomach. "This time. . . that was the last time I'll run away," she assured herself, as if saying the words aloud would make them more true. _I'll never run again._

Blake made the mistake of letting her mind wander to Yang. _She must feel so angry, so abandoned. First her mother leaves her, and then I leave-._

She took a deep breath and steeled herself, gripping Gambol Shroud tightly. _Not now. It's time to focus._ Blake roughly shoved open the door to her apartment; the door opened to reveal a view of the Industrial District that left much to be desired. Single room apartments had been too expensive in the Vale's Residential District, and most of the White Fang's activity took place in the Industrial District anyway. Another of the few benefits was the owner of her shoddy apartment block. He wasn't the kind to ask questions of his tenants, as long as they paid rent on time.

She descended the iron staircase quietly, her slight heels notably absent of sound. There weren't many people awake at this time and Vale certainly didn't have a curfew, but she preferred to stay under the radar just the same. She walked north with purpose, moving in such a way that she remained mostly in the shadow cast by streetlamps. Had there been many people on the street, they wouldn't have realized her seemingly regular strides served to move her from one shadowy patch to another.

The route took her past a small group that stood huddled around a fire in an oil drum surrounded by various pieces of trash. One of them, a Faunus with small horns, looked her way, but she was otherwise ignored by the group. She continued past a street that led to rows upon rows of warehouses before emerging near the bridge that connected the northern and southern sections of the Industrial District. The bridge served as transportation for cargo laden trucks but had a walking path underneath, which Blake crossed in a short minute.

As she got steadily closer to the building in which her targets were, she began paying more attention to her surroundings, wary of being seen. While she hadn't necessarily done anything illegal yet, she would no doubt be noticed by police and placed under suspicion if she were seen sneaking about at night with a huntress-grade weapon. Blake removed her white jacket and quickly turned it inside-out, slipping it back on to reveal a dark-purple inside. She had actually gotten the reversible jacket idea from Nora during their second semester at Beacon. The hammer-wielding girl had excitedly commented something to the effect of it being useful for thieves, no doubt referencing one of her crazy dreams. Ren had sighed in exasperation, but Blake, somewhat amused, had made a mental note. _Nora would be so excited that I've actually made use of her random idea._

The target building was nondescript, a six story office building made out of brown bricks broken only by large windows. It stood as one of the many buildings on the Vale skyline, nearly incapable of drawing suspicion. In fact, the only thing that made this building special when compared to others was its use tonight by Blake's three targets.

One of its sides faced an alley, which Blake made for, after checking from across the street to ensure it was empty of witnesses. Blake darted across the street, nothing more than a black blur. Drawing the pistol portion of Gambol Shroud, she skidded to a halt in the middle of the alley for a mere second before throwing the pistol upward toward the second story of the office building, the blade penetrating into the brick and holding fast. She held completely still for a moment, making sure nobody was coming to investigate the source of the noise before she started climbing.

The window she pulled herself to was barred, but the metal was old and malleable; a swift slice with Gambol Shroud cut through the bars easily. Blake bent them up and out of her way, preventing them from clanging to the ground with a loud clang. She unlatched the window, and slowly raised it, then entered the building. _Infiltration successful._

The office building was dark on the inside, but this proved to be no issue to Blake whose golden eyes pierced the shadows, rendering the large room visible. She scanned the room quickly at first, and then slowly, taking in as many details as she could, looking for people. For an office room it was incredibly cluttered, desks arranged in neat rows but strewn haphazardly with papers, empty cups, and writing utensils. Once she was confident she was alone, she crept along the wall, darting through a doorway into a long hallway. Blake knelt with a hand on the ground, listening for voices or the faint vibration of footsteps. Hearing neither, she moved to the end of the hallway where she located the stairwell, and once again listened for the telltale echo of footsteps against the concrete stairs. She smiled to herself. _Nobody unaccounted for is here. This is going better than I had hoped._

The office building's third story was much like the second. Blake emerged into a hallway and lowered herself, moving into a crouched position near the wall. Reaching up, she untied the ribbon that adorned her head, allowing her feline ears freedom. She flexed them, swiveled them, and breathed out a sigh of relief. It felt good to have them free. As she moved deeper into the interior, she turned her head near every doorway, straining to hear even the slightest sound of voices. Like all the rooms, the stretch of hallway was devoid of noise and Blake began to worry that the grunt she had interrogated last week had gotten his information wrong somehow, or outright lied.

Ahead, the hallway ended in a corner that extended to the left. Blake turned the corner but once again, the hallway was empty. _I must've gotten it wrong. But that member said that this was one of the meeting points. . . Did he lie to me? No, he couldn't have, he was scared out of his wits. But, what if it was just an act? Is it possible. . ._

Her train of thought was viciously derailed as she heard the sound of shattering glass and a startled yell from a room at the very end of the hall. She flinched in surprise, and then sprinted toward the doorway, coming to a crouch just behind the wood.

"Fuck fuck fuck! Sniper!" a man inside yelled, "Get down! Get down!" Blake heard two thumps as the room's occupants presumably dove to the floor.

"Where is it coming from?" screamed another voice, this time a female.

"I dunno, but h-" shattering glass accompanied the man's voice which cut off midway into a strangled choke.

"Slate!"

 _This is my only lead,_ Blake frantically thought to herself as the room beyond the door went dead quiet. _I've gotta get that girl out of there before my only chance at finding him is killed!_ She burst through the door, quickly taking in her surroundings. The room was a conference room, the table in the center covered in a blood splatter from a man that lay limply on top of it. A Faunus lay choking on the ground, a large hole blown through his neck. He convulsed, dark red corrupting the pale carpet. The girl lay prone on the ground.

Another round flew through the window and whizzed between Blake's feline ears, smashing into the wall right above her head. She dove to the side, another bullet ricocheting off the metal table. Silence. A fifth shot followed, smashing into the female White Fang member's ribcage. Her held breath was forcibly exhaled, the visceral sound of spit blood spattering over the carpet palpable. "Shit!" Blake yelled aloud, getting to one knee and quickly grabbing the seizing girl. The rounds seemed to be powerful enough to have torn through their aura, but Blake counted on the fact that her huntress training would be strong enough to protect her from at least two shots. She looped her arms under the girls and hoisted her, backpedaling to the doorway. As she pulled the girl out of the room, two shots rang out. Blake felt the impacts and cursed. _I accidentally used the girl I needed alive as a human shield. God dammit._

The sniper fire ceased and silence returned once the two were in the hallway, out of sight from any windows. "No no no no no," Blake said, collapsing under the girl, then swiftly rising to a knee to examine her. Her hands ran over the body, searching for something, anything that could be helpful. She paused over the girl's chest, then scrambled to reach into her jacket pocket, pulling out a cracked but unbroken scroll. "Not in vain, not in vain," she breathed to herself, quickly clicking the scroll on and off to make sure it worked. "Thank god." Were it not for the girl lying dead on the ground, Blake would've smiled.

She sprinted down the hallway, rounded the corner and made a dash for the stairwell. _I gotta get out of here._ Down the stairs, moving with unnatural silence. _Please have the information I need. Please._

* * *

Keeping the sniper in mind, Blake moved to create distance between herself and the building before heading south, flitting from shadow to shadow. The shooter had either lost track of her, completed their mission, or lost interest; no more gunshots pierced the night. After turning her jacket back to its white side to hide the bloodstains, she took a winding path just to make sure she wasn't being followed, causing her return trip to take nearly twice as long as the trip there. She reached the staircase to her apartment block as the first early hues of sunrise painted the sky.

Inside, in a sudden fit of exhaustion she closed the door and slumped against it, sliding into a seated position, her head beginning to ache from staying up for such a long time. She would need a nap. She pulled the only sign of her success, the cracked scroll, out of her pocket. "Let's see what we've got here."

The scroll blinked to life and Blake's eyes widened, a sharp intake of breath marked her surprise. The White Fang girl had apparently been in the middle of taking down notes in a notepad, and had left the app open. Clearly visible, without even password protection, were the locations of two White Fang rendezvous spots. The first meeting would be held in a warehouse in the Industrial District. Seeing the attached date and time prompted Blake to check the calendar on her own scroll. It would take place three days from now. The second meeting would take place in the Upper Class District, in ten days.

Blake couldn't believe her luck. _I probably wouldn't have gotten this much information if I had just listened in. This puts me one step closer to finding Adam. And then. . ._ Blake stemmed the inevitably poisonous tide of thoughts before it began and started removing her gear, placing Gambol Shroud on the table and removing her bloody jacket. She carefully folded it so it wouldn't drip, then draped it over a hanger. The blood would be washed out when she woke up, but now, it was time to shower.

Blake pondered the identity of the sniper as hot water ran over her back. _Could they have a grudge against the White Fang? That would make sense. Many people were hurt and killed during the attack on Beacon, easily providing hundreds of people with motives. The infamy of the White Fang also draws a lot of hate, meaning the sniper_ _wouldn't have to be a victim of Beacon. . . They must've thought I was part of the White Fang. I did have my ears out. That explains why they shot at me._ Blake's thoughts continued like this for some time, before she realized she had stopped washing herself and was wasting water by standing idly under the shower head. She turned the water off and began to towel herself dry. _I have no way of knowing who they are. I'd better be careful though, otherwise I'll become a target._

Ceasing her ruminations, she lay down on her floor mattress, which did surprisingly well to negate the hardness of the floor. _I can think about it tomorrow. I need some sleep._


	2. Breaking Fangs

**I've decided I'll be publishing a new chapter every Friday, for a sense of consistency. Also, while chapters 1 and 2 cover the same events, just told from different points of view, I don't expect this to become a trend. In other words, the story will move forward more normally from here on out.**

 **As always, thanks for reading!**

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The night sky was clear, allowing the moon to create a shadowy mosaic of the city streets. Areas of darkness contrasted starkly with the sections of light, the absence of tall buildings preventing the streets from being plunged completely into the black. Unlike the Commercial District which was awash with bright light at all hours, the Residential District felt like a void in comparison, absent of both pedestrian and vehicle traffic.

May Zedong walked freely through the neighborhood. The night held no fear or mystery over her anymore. As a sniper, she had always been naturally more comfortable with it than nearly anyone. Well, that's what she would tell everybody. In reality, hours spent alone during mock missions with no contact besides the occasional order had slowly chipped away at her self esteem and sanity, until she graduated from combat school and entered Shade Academy with a marked fear of isolation and the dark.

Being somewhat antisocial didn't help during her first day at Shade, and she was left alone until the next day, when teams were assigned. Her life changed when she made eye contact with Nolan, who would soon become her closest friend. He understood her loneliness without needing to ask, and began talking to her on a regular basis during missions. Thanks to him, the first person that made her feel less isolated, she was able to eventually banish all her natural fears of the darkness. She became comfortable with the night, but always thanked Nolan for helping her be brave.

As such, May walked in silence, long shadows casting themselves over her. The case that held her rifle, Lilac, was strapped tightly to her back to prevent swinging and knocking around. Her destination came quickly into view and when she finally arrived, the train station was nearly empty. On board, the city moved by at a quick pace, the tracks leading first through the Commercial District, then returning to the border of the Industrial District to straddle the line between the two. The train tracks had been built on Vale's old aqueducts, giving occupants an excellent view of the city. May stared through the window, her gaze refusing to settle on any one building. Much to her surprise, the music coming from the train's speakers was somewhat bearable, if only just. The ride passed in relative silence; Vale did not boast an impressive nightlife.

The platform on which she disembarked was lonely and dimly lit. She shivered as a breeze beset her, hugging her coat closer to generate warmth. While it seemed innocuous, anyone with malevolent intent would say with confidence that the wind was like a mirror, reflecting fell intent clearly. She narrowed her eye against the breeze, her vision blurring. She blinked rapidly to dispel the tears. Her intent this night was certainly murderous. _But,_ she thought to herself. _It's not murder if it's deserved. The White Fang took everything from me, and need to be stopped before they hurt anyone else._

The train station faded into the background as she walked, her destination a landmark well-known in the Vale skyline as a pillar of affluence. The Vale extension of the Schnee Dust Company, infamous for its business acumen in the cutthroat white-collar world, was equally famous in the underground world for being completely impenetrable. No less than six attempted heists by the White Fang had been foiled by state-of-the-art Atlas security systems, which mowed down aggressors with extreme prejudice. Truly an impenetrable fortress. Good thing then, that May wouldn't need to go inside in order to reach the top.

May stopped at the edge of the towering monolith, her head leaning back as she looked to the top. As if to assert its already overwhelming dominance over the dust market to the populace, Schnee Spire stood as the tallest building in Vale, rising higher than even the town hall (which should have been illegal). By no means was May afraid of heights, but scaling the building was not something she would want to do for recreation. She adjusted her beanie and took a deep breath in preparation, noticing her reflection in the singular mirrored panel that made up the whole face of the building. A building made of unbroken mirrored glass panels was an obvious design choice for the Schnee Dust Company, the flat surface boasting of power and wealth, while also providing privacy from passers-by.

May pressed her palms flat against the side of the building, fingers pointed down. She activated her aura, a soft purple glow blooming from her skin. Readying herself for a large output of energy, she jumped.

May's semblance allowed her to preserve momentum from upward and downward movement if she remained in contact with walls or similar vertical structures. In this case, she preserved the upward momentum from her jump and flew up the exterior of Schnee Spire, the stars beginning to blur together as she approached the top. Her fingertips never lost contact with the side, gliding easily along the polished bulletproof window pane. Reaching the top, she flew over the edge and landed on the roof in a roll, coming up to one knee.

She hurriedly scanned the rooftop for movement, her eye straining to make out the vague shapes of air filtration units and power boxes. She held her position until her knee ached from the pressure on the cement, until she was completely sure she was alone. At last she allowed herself a shaky breath out, her exertion of aura finally catching up to her. Climbing such a large distance was not easy and she sat down heavily, leaning backwards to catch her breath. Her heavy rifle case hadn't made the climb any easier. She generally used her semblance only when necessary; she wanted to keep it hidden. A sniper that could climb virtually any surface was incredibly useful, but also unpredictable. Nobody would ever look to the Schnee Spire with the expectation of it concealing a sniper.

May sought out her target building on the skyline, her focus passing from one dark structure to another until she found the right one. A completely nondescript office building lay in her field of vision, around six hundred yards away. It was inside on the third floor that three White Fang operatives would be meeting, and these were her targets. "Too bad they don't have any lights on," she mused. "Would've made it easier." Because she didn't know the exact room they would be in, a manual search would be necessary.

A smile graced her pale lips as she pulled the rifle case from her back, running her hand fondly over the surface before disengaging the latches. Lilac, her beautiful white and grey bladed sniper rifle, was illuminated by the moonlight. Its nonreflective surface didn't allow it to gleam, but the sparkle in May's eye compensated for the rifle's lack of expressiveness. Like any other huntress, May's weapon was a part of her, an extension of her soul. She had forged Lilac with godlike attention, every part as close to perfection as possible. The long-range scope was her design, featuring variable zoom options and a reticle that glowed a neon purple. She had hammered the blade on the stock herself, sharpening it under the Vacuan sun, only stopping when it was capable of slicing through anything foolish enough to touch it. Unless she was unfortunate enough to be caught in close combat, it remained covered.

Kneeling, she removed Lilac from its case and set it on the wide railing of the rooftop. It was more of a small wall, really, that reached her hip. Two loaded magazines followed, placed side by side. She left Lilac's case open on the ground and stood. After extending the bipod that was mounted on the rifle and resting it on the wall, she slotted a magazine and chambered a round.

Standing in a half-crouch, May's singular eye travelled across the office building, looking for any signs of movement. The darkened windows did little to make her hunting easier. Giving up on using her unassisted vision, she lowered her head and looked through the scope. _Much better._ With the strong magnification, she was able to look into the darkened building, seeing desks and chairs in sparing detail. Looking for her targets through her scope meant she had to carefully look through every window on the third floor individually. "Well," she said with a wry chuckle, her laughter shaking the scope. "It's not like I'm on a time limit." She paused, thinking to herself. _This is a pain in the ass, though._

She started her sweep on the left side, searching the rooms efficiently. She strained her eyesight until deciding each room was clear, closing her eye to rest it for a couple seconds in between each search. Each room was less interesting than the last, the novelty of searching having worn off after the first three, replaced by weariness. It wasn't until she saw a flicker of movement in the in the farthest room that her boredom evaporated completely, replaced by a slightly elevated heartbeat.

"Bingo," May said triumphantly, watching as a figure moved about the room before taking a seat at a large table. The room was the farthest on the left, the last one she had searched. Looking with redoubled care, May could make out the greyed forms of two other people. One of the three, his back to the window, sat facing two others. His large shape made him easily identifiable as male, but his horns were what drew May's attention. They rose from the side of his head, curling backwards, giving his head a strange, wide shape. The other two had smaller frames, but May could assume they were a male and female by the outlines of their hair. She smiled grimly, flicking off the safety on Lilac. "You are _definitely_ who I wanted to find." She had no idea who they were, but the large man's Faunus heritage assured May that he and his associates were her targets.

Her blue eye took in the White Fang with disdain, condemning them to death.

Crosshairs centered slightly above the man's head, compensating for bullet drop. She let all the air out of her lungs, willing her heartbeat to slow. _One. Two. Three._ In between heartbeats, May pulled the trigger with conviction.

The explosive dust round shot out of the barrel, twin plumes of purple smoke venting from either side of the muzzle brake. Lilac kicked against her shoulder; a spent casing ejected, landing with a light clang. The bullet flew through the air, driving itself through the window and into the back of the White Fang's head.

There was no feeling of happiness, of relief, when she killed. She hadn't expected there to be. But it would've been nice. With less than an inch of movement, she had taken a life. _That was for Brawnz._

The man died instantly, blood and pieces of skull splattering across the table and wall. His lifeless body slumped in the chair, falling forward onto the table.

Lilac was aimed at the second Faunus by the time they reacted. May fired as he jumped to his feet in shock, yelling something inaudible. _This is for Roy._ The bullet traveled fast and true, piercing through the man's throat. A beautiful shot. Cold, cruel, and perfect. He would suffer before he died, choking to death on his own blood. _This is better than you deserve._

The final target, the female, drew the weight of her focus as she dove to the floor, attempting to find cover. Without knowing where the bullets were coming from, the act was nearly useless; most of her body was left out in the open. Lilac's purple reticle centered on her head. May began pulling the trigger.

"The fuck?!" She jerked in surprise, her focus completely destroyed as the door to the room flew open, admitting a fourth figure. It rushed through the doorway, stopping quickly to glance around the room. "Since when was there a fourth member?!" Her aim thrown off, she made a split-second decision and took aim at the newcomer's head. In the moment it took her to aim, she thought she noticed small ears on their head. _Are those. . . cat ears?_ If so, they were indeed a member of the White Fang. An unforeseen target, but a target nonetheless. In the end, the difference between three or four targets was negligible, besides the six extra Lien a fourth cartridge would cost.

For the first time in months May missed her shot, her aim distracted by those cat ears. The newcomer, a female, dove to the ground, barely dodging another shot which ricocheted off the table. "Metal table. . ." May muttered to herself. Whether it was luck or skill, she couldn't tell, but the newcomer was completely behind cover, unlike her companion. May held her breath and aimed for the exposed female, firing a dust bullet through her chest. _Hit._

She was further surprised when the female's body was suddenly lifted, the cat-eared girl dragging the body out from the cover of the table. _What. . . what is she doing? What does she want with an almost dead body?_ Apparently something, because the newcomer began pulling her towards the door. May lined up her final target, her only choice to attempt shooting the cat-eared girl through the female's body. She only had time for two shots, taking them quickly, refusing to let them get away.

Both her shots hit before the duo backed out of her line of sight. However, even though she confirmed both the hits, neither felled her target. They were out of her view, which meant she couldn't prevent the cat-eared girl from getting away. "No no no! God damnit!" she barked, viciously ejecting Lilac's magazine and throwing it on the ground. She sat heavily, slamming her hand to her forehead. "Shit," she sighed. Angry at letting the one of the White Fang escape, it took a second for logic to kick in. However disappointed she was, she _had_ technically completed her task. The extra White Fang girl couldn't have been accounted for.

Letting out her breath, May stood, picking up the thrown magazine on the way. It still had a dust cartridge in it, and she couldn't afford to waste the Lien a new magazine would cost. It would also be incredibly foolish to leave evidence of her sniping position, especially on the high-profile Schnee Spire.

There would be no point in spending any more time on the tower. The cat-eared White Fang would no doubt have left already, escaping from the opposite side of the office building. If May tried to catch her, by the time she got to a new sniping position the girl would be long gone. Time to call it a night. With any luck, May could still manage four or five hours of sleep if she went straight home.

May needed to make her exit before the source of her gunshots was pinpointed. Lilac was quickly stowed in its case, the magazines put away as well. Latching it shut, she slung the rifle case over her shoulder, buckling it tightly to her jacket. Time to go. She peered over the ledge, checking for vehicles or police presence. Luckily, she was only greeted by empty Valeian streets.

The police had yet to arrive, or they simply weren't coming. Either way, May chose to descend the Schnee Spire on the same side she had scaled it from. Her body briefly glowed purple and she jumped over the edge, keeping both hands in contact with the side. She fell at a slow but constant speed, reaching the street in half a minute. The strain was noticeable on her body, she knelt for a small moment upon landing, gathering her breath. The streetlights cast long shadows over the pavement as she walked away.

By the time she boarded the train back to the Residential District, she could hear sirens in the distance. The Vale Police Department was far from incompetent, but they simply weren't prepared to deal with individuals that had huntress-level training. _They tried. And now that I'm done, I get to go sleep._ For a moment she smiled fondly, experiencing a small glimpse of happiness.

* * *

Her tiny apartment barely had enough room to fit a bedroll, a coffee table, and a rice cooker, which sat on top of said table. As small and dingy as it was, May considered herself lucky; the apartment costed a mere two hundred Lien per month. She had been able to pay three months of rent in advance, but money was becoming tight. If she would have enough money for a fourth month was questionable.

As it were, she had slowly become endeared to the barely livable room, feeling a small sense of relief whenever she returned. The opposite of claustrophobic, the tight confines of the apartment helped her feel safe. The door was a struggle to close, she had to slam into it with her shoulder in order to hear it latch. She locked it with her key and threw the deadbolt; her raised anxiety making it the bare minimum of safety she needed to sleep at night. The rifle case was leaned on the wall right next to the coffee table. She would clean Lilac in the morning as part of her daily routine, following a sparse breakfast and a calisthenic workout.

The coffee table was soon burdened by the greater part of her clothing, which was unceremoniously removed and dumped on its surface. She collapsed onto her bedroll, barely managing to miss the corner of the table on her way down. Sleep overtook her shortly after she zipped up her sleeping bag with tired hands.

* * *

She awoke in the darkness feeling more drained than when she had fallen asleep, sweating from a nightmare that had sapped her of strength. Her nightmares had once been few and far between and different every time, but now they plagued her every night and focused on one subject: the attack on Beacon and the death of her teammates.

May reached out from her bedroll, her fingers brushing the edge of a small picture frame. It was a team picture, her three teammates and herself smiling back at her. A professor had taken a picture for them after they completed their first mission. Brawnz had his arms around Roy and Nolan's shoulders, a genuine smile gracing his face. Roy was in mid laugh, eyes shining with excitement. Nolan's pink sunglasses had slipped down his nose and he had an arm around May, pulling her close so she would be in frame. She leant comfortably against him, looking at the camera with a hopeful smile that seemed to speak of happiness that had once been lost, but then refound. The photo always brought a flood of memories.

 _May was nervous when she realized she would be on a team with three guys. She had grown up in a household with a single mother and was unused to the presence of that much testosterone. But her fears were assuaged once she got to know them. They were incredibly welcoming, the best team she could ask for. Brawnz, always a kind leader to his team, was so considerate, and put up a sheet in the room so she could have some privacy when she wanted it. She ended up taking it down three weeks later, feeling comfortable enough to change near them and trust them to be respectful. Eventually, even the idea of putting up a barrier to separate herself from the guys became outlandish. Roy was quiet, but they bonded over their mutual love for adventure stories and projectile weapons._

 _Nolan surprised her the most. Beneath his foolish appearance and flirty nature, Nolan was tender, insightful, and could read her like a book. She wasn't much of a conversationalist, but credited him for helping her come out of her shell. Perhaps most surprising was his love for romance novels, and he both read and wrote a great deal. He would often relax in her company and write while she cleaned her rifle, and would proudly present her with his work, smiling nervously until she giggled at the scenes he had lovingly crafted._

Her thoughts remained on them for a long time, and then came the realization that those times she cherished so much were over. A dark thought entered her mind, unbidden. _All good things. . . come to an end._

May could try to justify her actions, reminding herself that those she eliminated were killers themselves, intent on indiscriminately cutting down any that stood in their way. That the White Fang reflected badly on the peaceful Faunus population made them even worse. However, May was introspective enough to know that destroying the White Fang was just a pretense, a convenient excuse she used for revenge. She wasn't the type to run from harsh realities.

Would her team, her _former_ team, be proud of her, taking lives in their name in a self-destructive thirst for revenge? No, of course not, but Brawnz and Roy were dead, only she and Nolan still "lucky" enough to be alive. And Nolan was back in Vacuo, suffocating under a black shroud of depression and anxiety, unwilling to leave his room. The attack on Beacon instilled in many a deep-seated fear of warfare, and Nolan's case was worse than most; he had been with Brawnz when he was carried off by a Nevermore, and had seen Roy viciously cut down.

 _But that's just another excuse._ Could she really say she didn't enjoy practicing her own brand of "justice?" As more time passed, had the line between revenge and bloodlust become blurred? The lack of a clear answer scared her. May knew wherever Brawnz and Roy were, they were sad for her. It ached, every time she pulled the trigger, knowing that she wasn't making anybody proud, wasn't doing anybody any good. With every kill, she could feel her soul slowly beginning to crack, coming closer and closer to the point where it would shatter. Or had it already broken?

May withdrew her fingers from the picture and began to cry.


	3. Hunter Hunted

**I felt like that pacing of this chapter was a little odd. That being said, my writing accurately expressed the ideas I had, so I decided not to spend too much time changing it.**

 _I highly recommend you read In My Sights by Blacsparrow. It was this excellent May x Ruby pairing that gave me motivation to write about May!_

* * *

Blake woke up in a cold sweat, panting heavily from her latest nightmare. Adam featured prominently in her dreams, a constant worry that itched at her subconscious relentlessly. This time, he had spoken with barely restrained fury while he carved lines across the length of her body, punctuating each cut with harsh staccato words. _You. Are. Mine._ How appropriate that his vibrant green eyes glowed through his mask, matching the color of jealousy, scathing her soul with poisonous envy. The Grimm mask he wore had the opposite of its intended effect on her; while it scared others, she appreciated the barrier it provided. She wasn't sure she could stand under his completely uncovered and vindictive gaze without crumbling. It wasn't the cold, impersonal pain of his blade that scared her. It was _him._ And all the while she was unable to move, completely at his mercy while he tortured her body and mind according to his whim.

Occasionally, she had happy dreams of him. They alluded to better times, from before the White Fang turned its back on peace. Times when they sat together in Forever Fall in comfortable silence, or perhaps Adam would be reading poetry out loud. Maybe they would be drinking tea at her favorite teahouse. He never had his mask on in her happier dreams, which made them more gripping and poignant. Passion for his cause shone in his eyes, in stark contrast to the anger and malevolence that eventually overtook them. They would grow to be more and more clouded, until eventually, what little was left of his compassion was snuffed out as he covered his face and became a monster, donning the mask of humanity's most hated enemy.

Blake always had a hard time deciding if her happy dreams with him were more painful than the horrifying ones.

She hugged her knees, barely resisting the urge to throw up. Even from a distance, he still held this much power over her. _I'm weak,_ she thought. And then: _I feel disgusting. I need a shower._

* * *

The scalding water purified her thoughts; the vestiges of her restless sleep being washed away as she began a new day. Steam billowed from the small window, escaping to the cold morning air.

Blake's morning routine began with a short run along the riverbank and concluded with a basic set of calisthenics focused around her upper body. A lukewarm shower followed, her second that day. A protein-rich breakfast consisting mostly of fish and various vegetables wrapped it up. The only fish she could afford was low quality, but she wouldn't be caught complaining. Fish was fish, after all, and if her time in the White Fang had taught her anything, it was to never take a meal for granted. She chewed without much thought, the bland taste deserving no further thought.

The rest of the day passed slowly; Blake waited impatiently for the sun to set so she could go. White Fang meetings were typically held at night which meant that her early rise had added a few hours of waiting. She split the day between reading, indulging her obsessive-compulsive side by checking her equipment multiple times, and napping for short periods in the patch of sunlight her window provided to catch up on sleep. By the time darkness fell, she was positively itching to be outside or in action. What she wouldn't give for a sparring partner. . . Dodging a few punches from Yang would've gotten her blood pumping again.

"Well!" she exclaimed, doing her best to distract herself. "Time to go."

Blake began walking, the twilight skies turning a dark rosy color. She had spent the days since her encounter with the mystery sniper trying to create a plan that would get her close enough to the White Fang meeting to listen in, but also keep her out of sight. She had surveyed the area from afar, even snuck in the previous night and found plenty of partial blind spots. The problem was that while she could find areas that would provide cover from multiple directions, there weren't any that were completely out of sight from potential sniping spots. Depending on the sniper's position, whether she would be safe behind cover would mostly be decided by dumb luck.

Conversely, the spots that would otherwise provide excellent cover would be highly visible to the White Fang. Her chances of hiding from two groups at once that were at odds with one another would not be favorable.

This was all assuming the sniper would show in the first place. The only reason she had to think so was because they seemed to be on a White Fang assassination spree. How foolish she would feel if she wasted an opportunity like this, waiting for a gunman that never appeared. _I bet I'm one of the few people that actively hopes for a sniper._ The irony was not lost on her.

Blake didn't like possibility of missing potentially valuable information, but if she were near the meeting, the possibility that the sniper could return would place her in imminent danger. If the sniper was killing the White Fang, they wouldn't necessarily know that Blake wasn't a member. Even with her ears covered, she assumed she would be labeled guilty by association. Reckless abandon was not something she was known for, so she would have to resign herself to missing out on the meeting.

Thus, she planned to observe from a distance, hoping to spot the sniper and find out more about them. If all else failed and she didn't catch them, she could wait another seven days until the meeting in the Upper Class District. Only if she failed then, would things become truly desperate.

The warehouse that would accommodate the meeting loomed in the distance. She didn't dare go near it, instead angling to the right toward a different building that was two blocks away. A rusty pipe on the side made scaling the structure convenient, and Blake reached her vantage point in a short time. The roof slanted at a low angle, allowing her to lie down with relative comfort, only her head sticking above the ridge. She had an excellent view of the warehouse and the surrounding rooftops. She made herself comfortable, knowing she might be there for quite a while.

The darkness grew, stretching out over the city, limiting the sight of any that weren't genetically inclined to night vision. The first hour in position passed quickly; it was still too early for the meeting to take place. She kept her eyes on the rooftops and darkened buildings, hoping to see movement that would betray the sniper.

Blake's golden eyes were drawn to activity near the warehouse as two unmasked Faunus walked down the street in its direction. To most they would look like simple passers-by, but Blake easily recognized their guilt. They made quick glances behind them periodically, checking to make sure they were alone and not in the presence of law enforcement. They stopped in front of the warehouse and scanned the streets again, before finally entering, passing out of her line of sight.

Not much happened for the next couple minutes, until a nondescript car arrived at the warehouse, this time approaching from the opposite direction. Three Faunus emerged, walking into the building in a nonchalant manner. They appeared to be less inclined toward stealth, if their arrival was anything to go by. Whether that was due to carelessness or confidence, she couldn't tell.

Until midnight, White Fang members continued to arrive in scattered intervals until Blake estimated there to be about thirteen total within the building. The imperfect headcount was a result of Blake's attention to the rooftops; she was watching carefully for any sign of the sniper. Her sharp eyes did not spot any movement.

 _I hate this,_ she thought. _I'm stuck here, waiting for a sniper that may or may not even be here, actively missing out on information that could lead me closer to finding Adam!_ The silence of the night did little to ease her mind. The rest of the hour dragged on painfully.

 _Bang._ Her ears perked up at the sound of a gunshot. _Thank god. They're here._ Now came the hard part, a grueling task of increasing her awareness to the highest extent possible, watching with as much intense concentration as she could muster. If she missed her chance to find out about this sniper, she would've wasted days in preparation.

Another gunshot, punctuated by yells and an agonized scream from the warehouse. Blake opened her eyes as wide as they would go, hoping to see a muzzle flare or any evidence of the sniper's position. "Where the hell _are_ you?" she growled through gritted teeth. No doubt the White Fang was in hiding by now, there was almost no way the sniper could kill all of them. Blake turned her head, closing her eyes. She unbound the ribbon that adorned her head, trusting her sensitive cat ears would be able to sense the general origin of the gunshots better than her human ones.

She strained her hearing, ears stretched. Much like the sniper would probably be doing, she held her breath and willed her pulse to slow. The sniper indulged her, she heard the latest gunshot clearly. It came from her left and in front of her.

She edged up on the ridge of the roof, leaning on her elbows, eyes narrowed. She focused in the general direction the sound had come from, attempting to pinpoint the next shot.

Gunshot. A small explosion of purple colored smoke issued from the rooftop of one of the many factories in the district, a rusted goliath of a building that was still covered by old scaffolding. It lasted only for an instant, but that was more than enough for Blake to catch it. Despite herself, she couldn't stop a wide smile from crossing her face. She hadn't been wasting her time after all! She memorized the specific factory roof, then slid backward down the shingles until she was able to climb down the building. If she was going to catch the sniper, she would have to do it stealthily, from behind.

The street flew past her as she ran, another sniper shot ringing out. Likely the White Fang would've figured out the direction the shots were coming from and hidden accordingly by now. Blake supposed the sniper would have to stop shooting soon and reposition if they wanted to kill the entire group.

She was able to confirm the location of the sniper without a doubt as another gunshot sounded directly in front of her, making her feline ears twitch in response. The factory that served as the sniping platform was roughly six stories tall, Blake ran toward an emergency ladder that ran up the side of the building.

Sirens began to wail, cutting through the air. The White Fang must've called the police about a murder, preferring the prospects of a cold Valeian jail cell to getting gunned down. Blake picked up her pace, jumping to reach the ladder on the far side of the factory. In her haste she made more noise, counting on the wail of the sirens to drown out the sound her boots made on the ladder rungs. If she didn't get to the sniper now, it would be too late. A train sounded in the distance, adding to the cacophony of noise.

By the time she made it over the railing, red and blue lights were visibly flashing on the buildings, screeching tires and shouting heralding the arrival of the police force. Blake frantically eyed the roof, catching the faintest glimpse of motion from the opposite side. Barely visible for more than a second, a lithe form threw itself over the edge. Blake sprinted to the edge, leaning herself over, just in time to see a flash of rose-colored hair. A brief feeling of familiarity coursed through her until she dismissed it. Ruby's hair was darker, compared to the sniper's more pastel color.

The sniper landed in a roll that looked incredibly uncomfortable, as they carried a large black case and a monochrome rifle. Their small frame did not lend itself especially well to running; they moved quickly but with an awkward stride as the large rifle case smacked into them with every step. Being slim obviously didn't help their situation. When the train belted forth with another horn, Blake realized they were running in a direction as if they intended to make an escape with it.

"Stop!" a police officer yelled, he and two of his fellows sprinting down the street to try and catch up. A couple drew pistols and fired, but their bullets missed by a wide berth. The sniper skidded to a halt at the base of a pillar that supported the train aqueduct, glowing purple for the briefest second. Blake nearly gasped in surprise as the sniper flew up the side, seemingly having jumped from the ground all the way to the top. _Their semblance must be some form of jumping ability,_ she thought to herself.

The sniper launched into the air above the train tracks as the train passed underneath them. Even from a distance, Blake could see them switch their grip so they held the rifle by the barrel, swinging the stock into the roof of the train during the landing. Moonlight glanced off a piece of metal in the stock, possibly a blade the sniper used to anchor themself to the carriage. The train blared its horn a final time, carrying Blake's target away from her.

"God damnit,' she muttered, a mixture of sadness and disappointment weighing down her heart. Her head hung as she stood still, waiting for the police to leave so she could make a clean escape.

"Did you get him?" an officer asked, running around the corner.

"No, sorry chief. He got away."

"Damn it!" He yelled, throwing his pistol on the ground. "This is the fourth time this month we've let this happen!"

Blake watched the train fade from view with furrowed brows. _There's something we're not getting,_ she thought. Something about what the officers had said wasn't clicking in her mind. Blake frowned, her thoughts collecting themselves into a cohesive whole. _The rosy hair. . . no, they're not a gunman._ She became more sure of herself during her pause in thought. _Our sniper. . . is a woman._

* * *

 **As always, thanks for reading!**

 **To answer a question about May's semblance, it could be described as an acceleration-halting semblance. As soon as she activates it, she prevents herself from accelerating or decelerating. This requires good timing especially when travelling downward. Whatever speed she was travelling when activated, that is the speed she shall remain at until she runs out of aura or deactivates her semblance. And she does still need to be touching a vertical surface to use it.**


	4. Cat's Prey

Seven days after their first meeting, Blake was stationed on yet another rooftop once again searching for the sniper. _This is becoming a trend._ And an awful trend it was. Because she had failed to catch the sniper a week ago, Blake was now at the height of desperation. The sniper's ability to endanger her was putting a stop to her information gathering, and she couldn't continue unless the sniper was out of the picture. Not that she had a specific plan in place for once she made contact but. . .

That was actually a huge point of contention for her. She wanted to avoid killing anybody if at all possible, a thought clearly not shared by the sniper. Because she would be misidentified as a White Fang, she would most likely have to attack and incapacitate the woman to get her to stop killing members that Blake needed alive. However, she wasn't sure how to make the sniper stop completely without killing her. Could she get her thrown in prison? Perhaps, but how exactly would she manage that? She wasn't in a good position to report to the Vale Police Department, seeing as how she had ties to the White Fang herself, even if they were from some time ago and since broken. She was still involved to a certain extent, even if that extent was infiltration and information gathering with the end goal of killing a certain member. Her Faunus heritage would not be advantageous in proving her separation from the group.

Blake crouched on the roof of a large apartment complex, every one of the many rooms underneath her no doubt costing more than she could make in a year. Such affluence was regular in the Upper Class District. She had not been able to resist peeking in a couple rooms as she climbed the side of the building, and had been disgusted at the gaudy levels of wealth displayed within. A lesson drilled into her by the White Fang had come to mind: Never waste anything. Use all you can afford for every purpose you can find for it.

Blake viewed her surroundings. She had chosen the tallest building in the area, directly across from the apartments that would hold the White Fang meeting. She had a clear view of the rooftops in the area, and would therefore be able to see any movement a sniper might make. If she were exceptionally lucky, the sniper might even come to the same rooftop she was on and save Blake the trouble of searching.

Of course, she didn't expect herself to be lucky in any way; the sniper had so far proven herself to be quite resourceful in her attacks and escapes. But Blake was prepared to reach nearly any and all viable sniping spots the sniper could choose in a quick fashion. Wrapping the ribbon portion of Gambol Shroud around the railing would give her enough distance and momentum to swing to some of the lower buildings, and she could easily jump to the rest after she made it there.

Blake didn't bother keeping track of time, resigning herself to the fact that the sniper would appear when she felt like it. Blake didn't know when exactly she would show up, so she had arrived and climbed the building as the sun had set, making sure to get to her position before the sniper would even come close to arriving. She kept her eyes moving, checking every rooftop in turn. She also made sure to watch the sides themselves, in case the sniper was able to jump from the ground and scale the buildings that way. There were more variables than she would've liked, but it couldn't be helped.

She was incredibly surprised when a shot rang out, echoing off multiple buildings. She hadn't seen anybody climb any of the buildings, and the rooftops remained empty. Her heart racing, she panicked, checking all the buildings near her. No sniper was in sight. In fact, a few seconds of more careful observation showed that the sniper wasn't even hiding proficiently, but completely absent from the rooftops. _Where can she be, if not here?_

Blake took a moment to reach her conclusion. _If she's not on the roof, then she must be . . . inside one of the buildings?_ She supposed it was the most likely explanation. Either the sniper had climbed the side of an apartment in one of Blake's blind spots and entered through a window, or she had come up from the inside. _If that's the case, then all I need to do is find the open window she must be shooting through._

Blake pulled a small pair of binoculars from a pouch she had brought and began looking through them, searching faces of buildings for any window that was slightly ajar. It was painstaking work, mostly because the apartment complexes were high-end, meaning the windows took up the entire face of many of the buildings. Luckily, she was able to eliminate multiple windows at once because the streetlights below reflected off of them, and they had to be closed for that to be possible.

In the end, it wasn't an open window that gave the sniper away, but the signature purple muzzle flash. The sniper was evidently shooting from deep within the room; she hadn't made the novice mistake of allowing the barrel of her rifle stick out from the window. However, the glass that made up the wall happened to be somewhat reflective, allowing Blake to notice the quick purple blitz. She may have been a crack shot, but apparently she hadn't realized how bright the muzzle flash of her rifle was. Strangely enough, the window appeared to be closed.

The room in question was on the fourth floor of a building very close to her. Blake uncoiled Gambol Shroud's ribbon, preparing to throw the bladed pistol portion at it. She leaned back, carefully aiming so the blade would stick into the metal side of the building, not break through a glass window. She launched it while firing a dust cartridge, the added force more than enough to propel the pistol across the distance and into the wall of the building where it held fast.

Blake tested the ribbon carefully until she was certain it would hold. Wrapping the extra length back around her arm, she stepped off the edge of the rooftop, gaining speed as she fell. The ribbon grew taut and began constricting around her forearm. That thought left her mind as she braced herself, breaking her impact against the side of the building with her legs. It was a painful landing, her aura certainly would've been better off if she had gone straight through the glass instead of forcing her momentum to stop with her knees.

She dangled for a second to let out a sigh of relief. Blake considered herself to be a generally brave person, but voluntarily jumping from a tall building would give anyone an adrenaline rush. She climbed the ribbon, wrapping it back around her forearm as she went.

After reaching the ledge, she allowed herself a short moment of rest to stretch her arms. A gunshot ended her rest, she stood hurriedly, walking over to the sniper's side of the building. _Now I have to decide how exactly to get to her._ She wondered for a moment.

As far as she could tell, the only viable option was to drop in through the window and immediately attack. She carefully measured out the amount of ribbon she'd need to let loose in order for her swing to bring her to the fourth floor. She dropped a length down three floors, until it nearly reached the top of the fourth floor window. This gave her an idea of the length of ribbon she'd want to use. She stabbed the bladed pistol into the wall, double checking to make sure her ribbon was just long enough to drop her to the fourth floor.

No matter the circumstances, the three-story fall would hurt. She grimaced. _Damnit._ She took a deep breath in preparation, double checking to make sure she would be falling into the correct room. Doing her best to psyche herself up, she ran toward the edge. _It's now or never!_

She cast herself out into the air feet first; she was suspended in the sky, seven stories above the night streets. After a moment, she plummeted. The ribbon dug painfully into her arm, her aura keeping it from biting deeper. She flew toward the window in an arc, her reflection in the glass becoming visible and clear. Behind the glass, she made out a dark shape, accentuated by a streak of rose-colored hair. _Gotcha._

Her feet smashed through the glass, her boots connecting with the scope of the sniper's rifle. The sniper let out a shout as the scope hit her chin, the momentum knocking her onto her back. Blake's original plan of landing in a roll had failed when her window-kick travelled beyond the pane and hit the sniper. Her momentum somewhat stolen, she landed painfully on her back among glass shards, skidding painfully on the floor. Her aura protected her skin, but she had no doubt shredded her jacket.

She rolled over and scrambled to her feet, readying Gambol Shroud for confrontation. The sniper looked to be in bad condition, Blake's kick had launched her into the wall, her chin bleeding down her neck. _Did that one kick break her aura?_ The thought was cut short as the sniper groaned, beginning to stand while clutching her chin. "Aahhh, fuck!"

She reached behind her, probably to draw a knife, but only halfway completed the motion. Blake's golden eyes flashed in front of her face, a boot connecting with her head. She crumpled to the ground face down, her hair falling to obscure her face.

Blake sighed in relief, she had worried that the combat might have been more dangerous. She had gotten lucky, it seemed. The unconscious sniper's breathing was audible against the carpet. Blake kneeled to turn her over. Her rose-colored hair flipped over her face as she was rolled, and with the help of her beanie, obscured her features. Blake brushed the hair away, surprise flitting across her face. _She's just a girl. She can't be any older than me._

Blake sat back on her heels, letting out an exasperated sigh. If she wasn't sure exactly what her plan was earlier, this made things even tougher. She hadn't liked the idea of killing the sniper in the first place, and that was definitely out of the question now.

She sat in silence for a couple moments before an unrelated thought struck her. _How did she shoot through the window if it was closed when I crashed through it?_ She looked at the shattered remains and noticed what had once probably been a short but wide rectangular hole near the bottom. It took her a moment to figure out its purpose. The rectangular cut gave anybody lying prone a perfect line of sight to the opposite building. That meant the girl had cut a hole into the high-quality glass without breaking the entire sheet. _But with what?_

Her eyes were drawn to the grey and white sniper rifle lying near the girl. The stock was uncovered, revealing the sharp blade that was built in. She ran her fingers over it, testing its sharpness. In hindsight a pretty bad idea; if she had pressed harder, the ridiculously sharp edge could've dropped her aura by a noticeable margin.

It made her sad to see someone so young carrying such deadly weaponry. She qualified her thinking a moment later, realizing her hypocrisy. _She's pretty deadly herself. It isn't just the weapon. And it's not as if I'm in a different situation._ Even being familiar with the sniper's tendencies toward murder, she couldn't quite write her off as a cold-blooded psychopath, especially considering she might have a justifiable motive. _We were probably both pushed into bad situations, forced into leading lives we shouldn't have. . ._

Her options were limited further by the sound of sirens. By the sound of it, multiple police vehicles were arriving, skidding to a halt outside. Shouting reached her ears. It made sense to think the police force that existed within the Upper Class district would be more competent than their counterparts in other districts; their fast arrival backed this up.

 _Are they after the sniper or the White Fang?_ Without being sure, Blake couldn't make a good escape. She checked the window. Choosing a few choice swear words to repeat to herself aloud, she backed away. By the looks of it, they were splitting up, a group heading toward an apartment close by, the rest definitely heading for her building. She'd have to leave the sniper to the police to escape. At the very least it would remove her as an obstacle. Hopefully. She jogged to the door. _But still. . ._

Her hand rested on the handle, she turned to look back at the figure on the ground. _Can I really just leave her?_ If Blake left, the sniper could very well be imprisoned for life. Cold-blooded murder, even against the White Fang, was still illegal. Her head turned back to the door, she moved the handle down, hearing the latch disengage. A draft opened the door about an inch.

With a grimace and an exasperated huff, Blake turned briskly, returning to the girl. "Shit." She knelt, slinging the girl over her shoulders, leaving a hand free to pick up the her rifle. "Fuck," she growled through gritted teeth. "I'd better not regret this later."

She hurried through the door, emerging into a hallway that extended on either side of her. With police likely entering the street-facing side of the building, she randomly chose a direction and rushed down it, eventually reaching a corner that led her away from the street side. She paused after sprinting down it, hoping to hear voices to better get a grasp on the location of the police. While nothing was clear, Blake though she heard a shout from the other side of the building.

Whether or not to take the stairs or the fire escape on the exterior of the building was easily answered. She chose the fire escape based on the quick assumption that the police would spread out from the inside of the building, instead of surrounding it. She admitted it was a rash line of thinking, but her situation was rather touch and go.

A window facing out from the hallway provided her access to her escape route. Forgetting the obvious after opening it, she ran face-first into a screen, nearly dropping the sniper in the process. A careful kick knocked it out; she stepped out with difficulty, the added weight of the girl on her shoulders making the windowsill grind painfully into her groin. A pained grunt later, she made it onto the fire escape, focusing her vision against the dark to spot movement. _Thank god for night vision._

If she wasn't currently being chased, she would describe the night as almost. . . peaceful. Her immediate surroundings clear, she descended the fire escape as quickly and quietly as possible, making sure not to smack the girl's head on metal bars. It was a tight fit, each step jarring her shoulders. The final drop was trickier, she managed to crouch and then fall the final eight feet, the landing smashing her knee into the gritty pavement. The impact elicited a small groan from the girl, but she didn't wake up.

Blake merged into the quiet shadows of the alleyway, each step in the darkness giving her more safety. Three blocks passed with relative ease, her escape all but secured. After assuring herself of her safety she lowered the sniper, intent on changing the way she was carrying her. The chances of meeting other people was not low enough to be negligible, so a more pedestrian way of carrying people would draw less attention. She hoisted the sniper onto her back, wrapping the girls arms around her neck. This way, it would look like she was merely carrying a friend.

The alibi amused her, she spent a moment while situating the sniper to run through a possible scenario in her head. _Hello. Yes, this is my friend, she drank too much. No, she's fine, I'll just get her home and put to bed._

The walk back to her apartment was long, especially since she didn't want to be seen on the train by whomever might be riding it. The few people she passed made no comment on her or her living cargo, barely sparing them a glance. Valeians tended to mind their own business. She received no trouble, making it back to her apartment with time to spare before sunrise.

* * *

After arriving back at her apartment, Blake leaned the sniper against the wall in a sitting position and removed the girl's jacket, noticing the blood staining the material. It had soaked through to her white shirt as well, the girl's chin bleeding into the upper portion of the front. It was sure to stain. She bandaged her chin the best she could to stop the bleeding, but then found herself uncomfortable with the idea of leaving the sniper shirtless when she woke up, bound in a strange room. _Oh god, I still don't know what I'm going to do with her. But either way, she at least needs a fresh shirt._

Blake gingerly removed the girl's top, her head lolling to the side as an expanse of smooth skin was revealed. Now clad in only pants and a white sports bra, the sniper's toned figure was fully visible, slouched against the wall. She wore a black beanie that covered her left eye, rose-colored hair flowing from underneath. Her arms were well-defined, probably from carrying around such a heavy rifle all the time. Blake grabbed a spare shirt from her dresser, struggling to cover the sniper with it. Pulling clothing over her limp arms was harder than she had imagined.

Blake tied her up, making sure struggling wouldn't loosen the bonds. Gambol Shroud's ribbon was useful for multiple purposes including binding, because its wide band wouldn't cut into skin. In the process she found a large knife strapped to her waist. She removed it and proceeded to check the rest of the girl's clothing for weapons, finding none. She lowered her to the bed, covering her with a blanket in case she got cold. Blake, an arguably rough-cut and street-smart former White Fang, was not good at taking hostages.

Curling in her chair, Blake settled into an uneasy sleep across from the bound sniper, listening for movement with her subconscious.

* * *

A rustle from the makeshift ropes woke her up and attracted her attention. The girl had apparently woken up. She looked around the room in a daze, then seemed to panic for a moment before her gaze landed on Blake's boots. She slowly moved her sight upward, travelling up Blake's figure until her one uncovered eye finally landed on the top of her head.

 _My cat ears! Shit!_

But it was far too late to hide them. The sniper's eye widened in surprise, taking them in. She looked at Blake's face next; when their eyes met, the girl narrowed hers, and her lips drew back into a vicious snarl.

* * *

 **Oh boy, you have no idea how excited I am to finally write some proper dialogue! Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed Chapter 4 of Fifty Caliber Cat. As always, thank you for reading!**


	5. Hola, Toreador

May groaned, shifting under the blankets of her warm bed. She was beginning to overheat, and her chin hurt like hell. Actually, _everything_ hurt. _And why am I so warm?_ She brought a hand to her chin, hoping to feel whatever was causing the pain. Only she couldn't, because her arms were bound tightly behind her. May froze, trying to think through the most recent events.

 _I remember climbing that building last night. I sniped those two White Fangs and then. . ._ She sat up slowly, casting her sight about the room. _And then, that female White Fang came out of nowhere and attacked me._ This room was definitely not hers. And the blanket was warmer than her sleeping bag, explaining the overheating. _And then I remember getting kicked and passing out._

A creak from a chair came to her ears. She slowly panned her vision upward, catching sight of a pair of combat heels. She followed the legs up, a bare midriff becoming visible, and then a face with golden eyes. Her attention was drawn to the cat ears on the top of the woman's head.

The golden eyes widened, the girl threw a hand up to cover the feline ears. Too late. The two made eye contact, a snarl forming on May's lips. _It's you! You're the White Fang that got away!_ The cat girl opened her mouth to speak.

Both girls tried to talk at the same time, but May raised her voice louder, effectively taking an early control over the conversation.

"Are yo-"

"Fuck you. Shut up," she commanded with a sharp and steely tone. The cat girl seemed to be stunned into silence. While May presented her with a baleful glare, she was smiling internally. _Apparently, she's not the type that knows how to deal with hostage situations._

"Who are you?" She growled the question, lowering her voice as much as she could.

"I-"

"Actually nevermind, I don't care. What does a _White Fang_ want with me?" she spat the words, putting all the negative emotion she could into her single-eye. She leaned forward, straining against her bonds. "And where's your mask, _monster_?" The cat girl flinched at the word, ears lying flat on her head. While May didn't consider herself a cruel person, she was more than willing to treat terrorists badly, especially if they gave her an opening.

The cat girl waited, as if carefully choosing her words. "My name is Blake, and I'm _not_ a White Fang!" She stressed the second half, as if desperate to be believed.

"Alright _Blake,_ " May drawled, as if drunk. "What are you then? A freelance agent? An informant? A helper?"

"No, like I said-

"An unofficial member not on payroll?"

"No! I'm-

"You're right. I'm sorry." May sat back, giving up on breaking her arms free. Blake looked surprised yet again at May's sudden change in demeanor. May let the silence continue for a moment before letting a sarcastic smile twist her features. "I guess you need a couple more years of experience until you can even be considered a _part time_ terrorist." May was no slouch in glaring competitions, but if her sarcasm could kill, the cat girl would've surely died.

"Shut up!" Blake jumped to her feet, shouting. "I'm not a terrorist! I'm not a member of the White Fang!"

"Then why are you helping them!" May shouted back with equal force. "Why am I, one of the _good guys_ , tied up in your house? Why am _I_ the hostage of someone who claims to be 'definitely not a member of the White Fang?!' . . . Well!?"

"Because I need information from the people you keep killing!" Blake's hands balled into fists, rage evident on her face.

May was not willing to back down from the confrontation. "Information. _Information_? You are unrepentant terrorists out on the streets, the same ones that caused the Fall of Beacon, the same ones that kill for profit and will keep killing. You're thieves, liars, _murderers_ , and you're trying to convince me you're letting them live because you need _information_? Do you know how many people your group has murdered in cold blood?" She steadily raised her voice, burying the tears that threatened to well in her eye. "I'll give you your information! You're disgusting, vile pieces of trash, and every one of you deserves to be killed!" Her voice went hoarse at the end, she hadn't shouted like that in years. "If you want me to believe you're not a White Fang, then at least put some effort into the lie."

"I'm not one of them! I'm trying to stop them!" May sensed an edge of desperation creeping into the girl's angry voice.

"Well you've got a sick way of showing it." May snapped back. She looked away for a moment, allowing her beanie to break eye contact. _If I can just grab my knife I can cut these damn ropes and-. Oh, fuckin' wonderful. She took it._ She glared back at Blake to cover up her search for her knife. "And how many students did _you_ kill, three months ago? Did you tattoo a tally mark on your skin for every kid you gunned down? Is that how that works in the White Fang?"

May felt pain on the side of her face, a vicious slap knocking her sideways. It had enough force to knock her off the bed; she landed on the hard floor. Although her aura protected her from any real damage, the slap brought tears to her eye. She lay on the floor, stunned.

"I'm- I'm not one of them." Blake's voice was shaky. She held still for a moment before lowering her hand, stumbling to the bed and sitting down heavily. May could see the faint trails where singular tears had rolled down Blake's cheeks. Her head drooped, ears lying sideways. Her arms rested on her knees, wrists crossing below her face. "Not anymore," she said with bitterness filling her voice. May must've hit quite a deep nerve.

 _Plip._ May stayed silent when she heard the teardrop hit the wood. Three or four more came, dropping onto Blake's wrists before running down to her fingertips and falling to the floor in front of May's face.

May's brows knitted together. _Not anymore?_ A minute passed in silence, Blake's breathing becoming more regular.

"I'm not a member anymore." She paused for breath. "I grew up in the White Fang. I was a member all my life, I always believed I could help make the world a better place. Two years ago, when they started using violence to solve their problems, I left. I stayed on the streets for a while, stealing food where I could."

Unease grew in her stomach. _Could she actually be telling the truth?_ May stayed silent, unsure if she should say anything. It was possible Blake was a really good actor, or perhaps she had actually told the truth. May peeked through her bangs, watching carefully.

"Eventually, I got accepted as a student at Beacon." Blake's voice was quiet, barely audible. "If anything, I thought that becoming a huntress would be the best way to fight for equality. And then, the White Fang attacked Beacon, I found my former partner. I thought I could stop him, but he attacked me, and my teammate paid the price. My team split up after that. With him alive, nobody is safe. Not me, not Beacon, and not-" she finished with a sigh. "-my team."

May wasn't sure what to think. If she was lying, then she had a good backstory already created. _But why would she need that? If she's a White Fang, then why didn't she just kill me? Does she think I have some sort of sensitive information? If that's not the case, then there's no point in me still being alive._ If Blake was telling the truth, then her story made at least some sense. May's sniping could easily interfere with a third party's information gathering. _Either way, she really wants to convince me that she's not a White Fang._

 _Well, there's an easy way to find out, I suppose._ May would ask to use the restroom. If Blake actually was a White Fang, she would likely refuse on the grounds that May could possibly escape. Either that or she could kill herself to make sure whatever information she had couldn't be revealed. If she was allowed her trip, then it would show that Blake was either incredibly stupid, or not a member.

"Can you untie me? I have to pee." Blake's red-rimmed eyes met hers as she considered her question. She stood wordlessly and moved to her side.

"Roll onto your stomach," she asked. Her voice sounded tired, defeated. After unbinding May's arms, she sat back on the bed and resumed her position, but kept her eyes on May's form. May stretched her arms, a few audible pops filling the silence. She rolled her shoulders, flexing the tired ligaments. Standing shakily, she was pointed to a small door on the edge of the room. "It's the grey door."

 _Well. . . crap. Now what do I do? Should I make a run for it?_ She walked to the bathroom door slowly, trying to locate Lilac and her knife discreetly. She considered running, but she doubted she could make it very far anyway, she guessed Blake was much better at hand-to-hand combat than her. By the time she made it, she still hadn't found either of her weapons.

She closed the door with a creak behind her. The sparsely decorated bathroom didn't feature a window. _That means she didn't expect me to escape from here. . ._ She sat on the toilet, gathering her thoughts. She buried her face in her hands, frowning in a mixture of concentration and confusion. Too many thoughts were flying around her head at once, and she couldn't stay in the bathroom forever. _The best way to find out if she's lying or not. . . might actually be just to ask her questions and see if her answers contradict each other. The longer and more complicated her story, the more likely she is to slip up._ Her new plan in mind, she flushed the toilet to keep up the facade of having used it.

May pushed open the door, coming back into the main room. Blake still sat on the bed, staring holes into the floor. She looked diminished, looking at the floorboards as if she could find the secret to happiness within the grain. Either that or become small enough to slip through, removing herself from the face of Remnant. May drew a breath. "You said you're not a White Fang. . ." she trailed off until she was sure she had Blake's attention. "So what's your plan? Why am I here?"

Blake straightened, May's question seemed to break her out of her funk. She looked slightly embarrassed as she spoke. "Well, I don't actually know."

"You don't know?" May placed a hand on her hip, eyebrow raised.

"I didn't really have a plan for what happens after."

"For somebody who was able to catch me, which, let me assure you, is not easy, that was a remarkably stupid decision. Wouldn't it have been easier to turn me into the police or something? Why did you bring me here?"

"The police weren't really an option for me. I'm a Faunus, and turning you in would place me under a large amount of suspicion. And if I had left and they hadn't found you, then catching you in the first place would've been pointless." May nodded her head slowly, she could understand that. Especially after the White Fang attack on Beacon, the populace was brimming with even more prejudice against the Faunus.

"Do you mean to say the police were arriving at the scene when you knocked me out?" Blake looked somewhat surprised at the question, most likely forgetting that May had been unconscious by the time they arrived.

"Yes, I barely had enough time to escape."

"So the police prompted you to panic and take me with you? In that case, why not kill me? That seems like it would've been the most obvious choice." Blake's expression hardened, her mouth drawing into a thin line.

"Killing you is something the White Fang would do. I'm not one of them."

"I didn't say you were. But it's what I would've done if I were in your situation." Blake didn't respond. "I'm here, but I'm still an obstacle to you. So, what happens now?" She moved toward the door, making as if to leave. She assumed the door would be locked, and she wouldn't leave without her rifle anyway, but she was curious to see what exactly Blake would do. Blake rushed to her feet as May's hand touched the handle.

"You can't leave." She held some sort of bladed black pistol easily in her in her hand, suggesting she knew how to use it proficiently. May stopped, her bluff called. When she removed her hand from the handle and stepped back toward Blake, she visibly relaxed.

"What's your motive? How can I be such an obstacle to you that you absolutely need me to stop killing them? What's your goal, Blake? Are you trying to find someone?" Blake nodded her head, affirming May's suspicion. She pried further. "Who? Your team, perhaps?"

"No, I'm looking for my former partner. My team can't be safe without him around." May identified the gap in Blake's logic immediately.

"Does he know where they are?" She earned a heavy sigh in return.

"No, but my presence puts them in danger. If he finds me, he'll kill them. That's why I need to find him first."

"Is he particularly hard to find? Why can't you just go to a Faunus rally and kill him from a distance, or something simpler?" Typical of a sniper to say, she knew, but it was still a good point.

"I'm well-known among the White Fang as a traitor. I'd be recognized. And the actual problem is that I can't find him. From what I've gathered, he doesn't even appear at Faunus rallies. I've been searching for a few months and have only gotten marginally closer."

The more Blake spoke, the more frustrated and confused May was getting. Her story was actually managing to check out. May was beginning to doubt that anybody would go through the trouble of creating such an elaborate and well-thought out story. _What would the point be? Unless she's trying to play a long-game and gain my trust for some reason, but I don't see how that makes any sense. . ._ May decided it would be easiest to extend tentative trust toward Blake, but stay cautious and vigilant. "So basically. . . You're trying to find this former partner of yours, but can't because he's well-hidden, and I keep killing your sources of information? Blake nodded her head in affirmative. "That brings me back to my original question. Where does this go from here?"

Blake sighed. "I need you to stop-"

"No," May held up a hand to silence her. "I know what you're going to ask." May closed her eye for a moment, before reopening it and looking into Blake's golden ones. "And my answer is no. I'm not going to stop. The White Fang needs to pay for what they did." She allowed a certain coldness to creep across her expression. The topic wasn't open for further debate. "I'm going to take out whoever is responsible for leading them."

May kept her cold expression but panicked inside. _Shit! Why did I let that slip! Damn it!_ Unfortunately, Blake immediately picked up on the tidbit, her ears perking up.

"You're after the leader? I thought you were indiscriminately killing the members at your convenience." It was a genuine question, but a barbed one. Perhaps an attempt to rile her up and make her accidentally say more, but May couldn't be sure.

May's narrowed her eye, but she ignored the insult. "Killing random members wouldn't be the most effective way to make an organization to collapse. The White Fang are like weeds, you have to kill their heart." Her words were true, but carried a small hint of sarcasm as well. "And if I were killing for convenience. . . Well. I'm not." _It would be justified,_ she wanted to say. But she herself couldn't really believe that. Not completely, at least. "I don't kill just for the fun of it." It was as much a statement to Blake as it was reassurance to herself.

Whether or not Blake was a White Fang was somewhat up in the air, but May still preferred to keep her information to herself. One could never be too cautious, after all. She made a mental note to be more careful and not give anything else away.

Of course by coincidence, Blake immediately strained this thought process. "I never got your name." May deliberated, quickly thinking through the consequences giving her name would lead to.

 _Can I give her my name?_ May kept a very low profile around Vale, only showing her face at a few select diners and dust shops. She never gave her real name, and always payed with cash. Even if people knew her name, there wouldn't be a face to pin it to, and vice versa. She was even still on Vale's missing persons list from the attack on Beacon. _But, even if the White Fang knew who exactly I was, it wouldn't change the way I do things._ _I suppose there's no reason not to tell her._

"It's May."

"May. . ." Blake trailed off, as if waiting for a last name.

"May. Just May."

Blake shrugged, as if it didn't really matter to her. "Alright May, it's nice to meet you."

 _Nice to meet me? What kind of bullshit politeness judo is this?_ "Yeah, thanks for knocking me out. 'Preciate it." Blake only gave her a raised eyebrow in response. The silence stretched on for a minute.

A thought came to May, one that would allow her to more effectively gauge Blake's allegiances. If she offered to team up to work on taking down the White Fang, Blake's answer could give her a clear idea of her motives. _I can offer to watch her back and not kill any members until she gets her information. I can also play the angle of sharing information to get us both closer to our goals._

If Blake accepted, May could probably clear her of suspicion on the grounds that she was allowing May to kill more members and steal information. A White Fang would have almost no reason to allow the deaths; the group needed all the manpower it could get. Her acceptance would also lead to an easy way for May to escape. If Blake said yes and gave May her rifle, she could simply hightail out of there.

If she said no, then the chances of her being a White Fang would skyrocket. After all, what kind of person would pass up such a good opportunity for successful teamwork? _Alright, here goes nothing._

"If you're not going to let me go, and I'm not going to stop doing things in my own way, are you going to keep me locked up in here?" She gestured around the room. It was hardly a suitable cell by any definition. She didn't bother waiting for Blake's reply, knowing she didn't have a good answer. "I'll tell you what. How about we work together?"

Blake looked at her, surprise evident on her face. "I don't understand. How would we work together?"

"We're both searching for certain people, right? If we work together, you'll be sure to get the information you need _before_ I kill them. Likewise, any information you get on the leader you can give to me. This allows us to share information, and also lets you make sure I don't kill them until you're finished."

"I suppose it could work. . ." Blake looked very unsure of the new direction the conversation had suddenly taken. May didn't see the problem, it made sense to do things efficiently. No point in wasting time.

"And I'll tell ya what. If you find any member that you specifically want to deal with yourself, I won't interfere. You just have to promise me the same thing in return." Blake continued to look unsure. "Unless you have any better ideas?"

"How do I know you won't just shoot me in the back?"

"If you're not a White Fang, then you won't have to worry." May plastered a sugar-sweet grin on her face, doing her best to make the sentence sound sickeningly cute, yet incredibly antagonizing. "Besides, keep in mind that I'm also at a disadvantage, if I kill you, how would I get the information you pick up?"

"Good point." Blake looked away, wearing a confusing expression. As if she were at once pleased with the turn of events, worried about them, and nervous about the speed at which May had shifted from antagonization to apparent friendliness.

May continued. "That reminds me. How have you been getting your information so far?"

"I've been taking it from White Fang members I can find. I had to wait outside a rally and wait to ambush one of them for my latest batch of meeting places. I've been. . . less than successful otherwise."

May resisted the urge to smack her palm into her forehead. _Does this girl think anything through?_ "You've been trying to find your former partner by beating up grunts?"

"Well it's obviously not working too well, but other ideas are too risky for me to pull off. To be honest, I'm reaching a bit of a dead end. And unless you have more meeting times and locations, I might have to resort to something more desperate."

May chuckled in response. "Well, lucky for you, I've got a much better method."

"What did you have in mind?"

"You'll just have to find out!" Her response probably guaranteed an eye roll, but she didn't notice if there was one or not. May turned around, looking herself over. "By the way, where's my shirt? Is this one of yours?" She tugged at the fabric, testing its stretchiness. The thought of being changed by someone made her uncomfortable, but she was happy to see her sports bra hadn't been changed.

"It had a lot of blood on it, so I took it and your jacket. They're soaking right now. Bloodstains are hard to remove."

"Hmm, thanks. And thanks for patching up my chin too, I guess," she spoke while touching the bandage gently, wincing.

"You're welcome." Blake smiled as if she had just come up with an idea. "I'll return your clothes to you later. Those and your rifle. They're my insurance, to make sure you don't run off as soon as you get them back." May bristled. _Damn it. There goes that plan._ She hated the idea of being separated from Lilac, but understood the logic behind it. "And judging by your expression, you're not going to leave them behind?" Blake's grin was wider now.

 _Wipe that smug grin off your face, damnit._ May censored herself before speaking. "Yeah, smart. The rifle would be too expensive to replace." _Well, I suppose I can just wait for her to give me Lilac and then leave. If she's willing to team up with me, she's at least willing to let me snipe. All this does is delay me._ "You wouldn't have happened to have grabbed my rifle case when you grabbed me, did you? All my ammo was in there."

"Oh, no, I didn't have time." Blake frowned.

"Well then, _I_ at least need to resupply. While we're out, I'll try to get some basic information as well. You ready to go?" Blake, once again, looked startled at the speed of May's choices.

"O-oh. Yeah, alright. Let me get my things together."

"Alrighty then. Let's go shopping."

* * *

 **Ahh, feels good to write dialogue! As always, thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed chapter 5 of Fifty Caliber Cat! Also, 10 points to whoever understands the reference my chapter title is making, and an extra 10 for those who can guess where it's going.**


	6. Shopping Trip

**Sorry this is a day late. I've been working on study abroad applications, so the next chapter may be delayed by a small amount of time as well. As always, thank you for reading!**

* * *

May had intended to set a brisk pace to her favorite dust shop after exiting the apartment. Upon reaching the street though, she realized she had no idea where she was. Blake followed her onto the pavement, noticing her hesitation. "We're going to a dust shop for ammo and stuff, right?" she asked.

"Yeah," May turned, trying to find a landmark of some sort. Thanks to the tall buildings of the Industrial District, not even the Schnee Spire was visible. "Where's the nearest train stop? I want to go to the Commercial District." Blake began walking in a direction opposite to the one May would've chosen.

"It's this way."

"Hmf." May caught up so she was walking side by side with her, unhappy with the thought of being led. "The shop I want to go to is called 'From Dust Till Dawn.' Do you know it?"

Blake tilted her head quizzically. "Isn't that the one that was robbed about a year ago?"

"Was it? I wouldn't know. I only arrived here during second semester; I suppose that would've been after the robbery happened."

"I've been assuming you were a student, but I never saw you at Beacon. I would've recognized you. Which kingdom did you come from?"

May walked faster, unwilling to answer. Blake lapsed into an understanding silence, evidently not the type to pry. The rest of the walk passed in silence, neither comfortable or uncomfortable. They paid for day passes at the train station without incident, then settled in the empty car across from each other. May found the seating choice confrontational, but preferred it to sitting next to Blake. It would be easier to exchange conversation and judge expressions this way.

Her mouth turning down at the corners in a grim expression, May spoke. "I have to ask. If you think the White Fang is wrong in their deeds, why are you only going after your partner? Why not go after the leader? It makes more sense."

Blake's hooded eyes met hers. "My former partner has a large following within the organization, he's one of the ones responsible for its more violent shift."

"But why make him your only target? Are you just going to stop after he's dead?" May pressed. "I get that your partner is your priority, but why stop there?"

"Because killing is the wrong way to do things. I just want to make sure my team is as safe as they can be."

May leaned back, her head resting on the cool glass. "I see."

"Not all the White Fang are evil, you know. Many are just everyday people that have lost hope."

May had no real defense to the words. She knew, of course, but had done her best not to think about it. She changed the subject with a grunt. "I'm gonna need some more gravity dust rounds." _Oops, not the most tactful change of subject._

Blake's eyes narrowed, but she didn't comment. A silence of disagreement settled upon the two, neither speaking until they arrived at their stop. Blake passed the time by pulling a book out of her backpack, its title prompting May to snort internally. _Ninjas of Love?_ She had pegged the girl as somebody who would read philosophy in her idle time, not pornographic material with a barely considerable plot. _This girl is all about surprises. Well, I suppose everyone needs an escape now and then._

They disembarked near the dust shop, walking the last two blocks. A bell jingled as they entered, and May flashed her eyes at the clock above the counter to check the time. 12:42 pm. If she estimated correctly, getting knocked out had actually given her a full night's sleep, which was a rarity for her. _Go figure._

From Dust Till Dawn wasn't the largest of shops, but it certainly served its customers well, offering a large variety of goods. Boxes of dust-based ammunition filled the shelves, cartridges coming in nearly every conceivable size. Uncut crystals were proudly displayed behind a panel of bulletproof, and by the looks of it, thief proof glass. On the opposite wall stood rows of tubes, each filled with meticulously ground dust sorted by type and concentration. Pure dust grains were the most expensive, but were outshined by fifty-percent diluted dust. Unless somebody was firing a much larger bullet at very high speeds, pure dust was simply overkill, both in price and power.

Of course, May immediately went to the most expensive dust ammunition, grabbing an armful of small boxes which she dropped into a basket. That she had to spend so much money on ammunition was a sad fact that she had long ago gotten used to. Lilac would be near useless without strong enough dust rounds. As a sniper, she counted on her shots being powerful enough to completely tear through weaker aura and severely damage whatever was behind it. Not even solid stone was an obstacle to her rifle. Blake threw her a sympathetic look when she sighed at the price, adding Lien in her head.

 _This is always so expensive. Especially bad now because I'm nearly out of money. I never figured extra ammo and magazines into my rent plans. . ._ After adding four empty magazines to her basket, she retrieved an empty cylinder, moving to the far wall to fill it with pure gravity dust. She heard Blake's footsteps behind her.

"Gravity dust? What do you use that for?"

"In case I fall from a building, I'll be able to survive the drop." Blake's look of confusion prompted her to continue. "If you fire gravity dust at high enough concentrations, it reverses gravity in that area. Makes for soft landings from otherwise fatal falls."

Blake nodded in understanding. May noticed she had filled her basket with rounds for her weapon. From the looks of it, she used a handgun that fired smaller rounds without any special dust attributes. _Another testament to the expensiveness of dust weaponry._

"I've been wondering since last night, how did you get into that apartment building? Usually security in the Upper Class District is pretty high."

"I'm a good climber," May replied, short and sweet. It was an answer that didn't actually answer anything. Blake's mouth turned up in a small smile; it was evident she had followed May's train of thought.

"I was able to knock you out with one kick. Do you have a very weak aura? Or did you use your semblance to get up the side of the building?"

May kept her composure, even though she was quite surprised inside. "And what makes you figure that?"

"Because I've seen your semblance. I was at the Industrial District warehouse, I saw you jump onto the train."

"You were there?" May turned to give Blake her full attention. "Just how long have you been following me?" She asked the question with a raised eyebrow, underplaying its seriousness. To her credit, Blake caught on, giving a quick reply.

"Just since you nearly killed me in that office building. So, only about ten days."

May relaxed, glad that she hadn't been followed for long. Sure, Blake had caught her, but the idea that she could have been followed for long periods of time without her knowing didn't sit well with her. "You ready to check out? I have all the stuff I need."

"I'm ready. I didn't need much." The old man that rang them up nodded to each of them in turn, before indicating the price on the cash register with a bony finger. May cringed as she handed over the Lien. The White Fang had stopped robbing dust shops, but the cleanup operations at Beacon had done little to lower the prices of dust. In fact, it was more expensive than ever.

"I keep all my extra magazines and ammo in my rifle case, so I have to replace it all," May explained. She lowered her voice. "I also changed the brand of cartridge I use so the Vale police can't track me as easily." Blake flinched as if she were scared of the old man hearing, but he hummed contentedly and handed May her receipt, oblivious.

She stepped to the side as Blake checked out her ammo boxes. "For somebody like yourself to be buying that brand. . . isn't it a little strange?" May asked. She was of course referring to the square lettering on the side of each box. _The finest of them all._ The slogan of the Schnee Dust Company.

Blake gave a small smile at the words. "Normally I wouldn't buy them. But quality is quality." May nodded in agreement. The Schnee Dust Company undisputably made the best dust weaponry in Remnant. "One of my teammates is-" Her expression soured slightly. "We should go. You ready?"

May gave no sign of the sudden change in subject bothering her. Memories of teammates were painful. She could certainly relate to Blake's hesitance to bring the tragedy to life in conversation.

"Shade," she said, attempting to change the subject. The word drew Blake's attention in the form of a blank stare. "I was a student at Shade academy, in Vacuo. My team and I were here to fight in the Vytal tournament. And, well. I suppose you know the rest just as well as I do."

"Thanks for telling me, May." Her words were sincere and heartfelt.

"Alright, come on," she replied, changing the subject while checking the time on her scroll. "I've got somebody we need to meet."

"Oh, who is it?"

"My informant. She's how I've been getting all my information on the White Fang. And, since I've decided to trust you're not one of them, I'm letting you tag along to meet her."

"You trust me enough to let me meet your informant? But, I'm glad you believe me," she said, her smile genuine.

"Yeah yeah, whatever. It's more like I've come to the conclusion that you're a really bad actor."

Blake's puzzled expression made it clear she didn't know whether to be happy or feel insulted. "Umm, thanks?"

"Yep."

* * *

May stopped their walk in an alley with one side facing the ocean. As such, it was more of a smaller street with a couple vendors manning their carts on the edges. The well-lit space was small, but comfortably so, thanks to the absence of people.

May approached a dumpling stand, tugging Blake along by the sleeve. She struck up a small conversation with the girl behind the counter, asking for a double order of kebab-style dumplings. Blake zoned out until May grabbed her hand and curled her fingers around one of the sticks. "You like fish, right?"

"Oh, thanks. I do actually, it's my favorite. Salmon, especially."

"Well, you're in luck. These are fried salmon dumplings, the best in Vale! Isn't that right?" Her question was directed at the girl that had served them, who covered her mouth with a giggle.

Now that attention was drawn to her, Blake focused again at the girl. She was a Faunus, with tusks coming from each side of her jaw to point toward her mouth. Her purple hair was cut in a low bob, and her brown eyes were expressive. All in all, she fit the stereotype of "cute female shopkeeper" a little too well. Blake caught herself wondering if she had any hidden secrets.

Blake brought her attention back to May before she was caught staring. "What happens now?"

"Now," replied May, leaning herself comfortably against the dumpling stand, "we wait."

A breeze flew by as people milled around the street, probably stopping by for food before returning home. May bit into a dumpling unceremoniously, sauce running down her cheek. She tried to reach the sauce with her tongue, but found the appendage wasn't long enough. Blake nearly laughed at the effort she was putting into cleaning her face.

Blake ate her dumplings slowly, savoring the taste of quality fish. For street dumplings, they really were good. _But what are we doing here?_ As she was about to ask, May spoke up. "We clear?" Blake made to answer, but was interrupted by the dumpling girl.

"Yep, all good. How've you been, May?" May whipped around and leaned the opposite way on the counter, facing the Faunus. Blake followed suit, somewhat confused.

"I've been better. Lost a bunch of equipment on the last mission. Incidentally, that's where I picked her up." She indicated Blake with her thumb. "This is Blake. Blake, meet my informant, Yurie."

The words finally clicked in Blake's head. May hadn't gone to a random dumpling shop for fun, the girl was actually her source of information. The two shook hands; Yurie overshadowed Blake's polite smile with a brilliant grin. "Nice to meet you Blake!"

"It's nice to meet you too," she replied. She looked around carefully before lowering her voice. "So, you're May's informant? But why are you here, manning a dumpling shop?"

May chimed in to answer the question. "Yurie joined the White Fang so she could find out what exactly is going on behind the scenes. She steals information for me, and those willing to pay. Well, that's actually only me."

"And as for why I run a dumpling stand. Well, information only pays so much, so this is how I supplement my income. Gotta survive somehow." The words were spoken cheerfully, despite the heavy subject matter.

"That reminds me," said May, turning back to Yurie. "You ever seen her?" She pointed her thumb at Blake again. Blake puzzled over the meaning for a short moment. _She's checking to make sure I haven't been seen at meetings. Smart._

Yurie eyed her carefully. "Can't say I have. I think I'd have remembered somebody as cute as her." Blake smiled good naturedly at the compliment, unsure if Yurie was flirting or not.

Ignoring them, May visibly relaxed at the words. "Good to hear. I didn't think so, but I just thought I'd make sure."

"Sounds like you two have some history." Yurie raised her eyebrows. The way she emphasized 'history' made it sound like she was suggesting something, but Blake couldn't tell. She was finding Yurie very hard to read. "Anyway," she continued, "you're not here just for dumplings and small talk. What can I do for you?"

May took over the rest of the conversation. "First off, the information you gave me was great. Thanks for that. However, I didn't find who I was looking for. Instead, I got waylaid by her." She glanced Blake's way, who smiled in apology, before continuing. "So, I need more. You have any news? Locations the leader could be in? Anything?"

"Gotcha. Sorry you didn't get what you needed, but I suppose if the leader is worth his salt, he's not going to be easily found. But, I did come across some info you might like."

May smiled. "Excellent, thanks! Hook me up with another dumpling while you tell me?"

"Sure thing." The dumpling was handed over. Yurie handed one to Blake as well, even though it hadn't been asked for.

"Right. So as I was saying, I managed to sneak into one of the offices at a rally location. I didn't get anything on the leader, but there is apparently going to be a meeting with some higher-ups soon." She handed May a small slip of paper as she said this. May took the paper without a glance or comment. "I don't think any leaders are going, but you might be able to get information from this group. But if you do, be careful. I'm sure you can handle them, but they probably aren't all grunts."

"So you're saying they might be dangerous?"

"I just don't know, so play it safe. Okay?"

"Always do." May glanced at Blake for a quick second. "Almost always." Yurie chuckled, but didn't inquire further.

Yurie's eyes darted to the right for a split second. She winked at May twice, Blake caught the sound of footsteps coming up the street.

"Thanks again for the dumplings, Yurie. I appreciate it," said May, sliding a low-value Lien onto the counter. No, it was a stack of higher-value Lien, with a smaller one on top to make it look cheap. If Blake was seeing it correctly, May was paying quite a large sum for the information.

Yurie laughed. "No problem, come back anytime! Gotta make a living somehow! It was nice to meet you, Blake!"

"Likewise. Good luck with business." She walked a few steps, but then turned back to the dumpling stand. "Have you ever met anybody with red hair and black bull horns? A man with a mask stylized with red markings?"

"No, I haven't. I'm sorry." Her purple hair bobbed in apology. "But I'll keep my eyes open."

"That's okay, thank you anyway."

* * *

"This is good," May said, once the two were out of earshot from others. They were walking down a street that bordered the coast. The local shops had all but closed for the day, leaving the area empty and silent. "It's hard to know what kind of information she'll find, but Yurie hasn't let me down yet. One step closer." She curled her fists triumphantly.

"We'll need to plan our mission carefully," Blake replied, running a hand through her hair.

"Yeah, but the basics seem clear enough to me. Get as much information about the leader and your former partner as we can- by the way, what's his name? Saying 'former partner' is getting annoying."

"It's Adam." Blake did not look pleased to say his name.

"Hmm, okay. We find out as much as we can about the leader and Adam-" she paused to note the stress evident in Blake's eyes. "-and then we simply clean up the rest."

Blake stopped dead in her tracks. "Clean up?" May walked a step or two before turning to face her. Her golden eyes were piercing, confrontational. "What do you mean by 'clean up?'"

"You know what I mean." She held her hard blue eye against Blake's vindictive gaze.

"You're going to call killing Faunus 'cleaning up?' Do you hate them for what they are?"

 _So we're going there, huh? Fine, I'll play._ "I do, Blake." Blake's eyes widened in horror. "The White Fang are terrorists. Murderers. Butchers. They deserve every bit of what's coming for them. I'm surprised you're not on my side. You say you want peace. Well, the White Fang are scum that reflect poorly on the rest of the Faunus."

"Do you kill them because they're Faunus?" Blake looked as if she was ready to tear May to shreds.

"Their anatomy and genetics have nothing to do with their misdeeds," May hissed. "Rest assured, whether they're humans or Faunus make no difference to me. They deserve to die."

"Why are you so ruthless towards them? Not all of them are killers, and killing the grunts won't get you closer to the leader! Why are you so set on killing every last one?"

"Why does it matter? Do you feel some sort of kinship with them?"

"No, but I can understand what drives them. The White Fang is made up of Faunus that have seen a lifetime of abuse and prejudice at the hands of humans. I dislike their way of doing things, but I can understand why they think it's a good idea. Humans didn't start taking Faunus seriously until the White Fang established them as an actual threat. Something that needed to be paid attention to."

"Then why did they attack Beacon?" May shot back. "Plenty of Faunus died there, killed both by Grimm and the White Fang. If they wanted to create equality, isn't attacking a school pointless?"

"It is! Of course it is!" Blake retorted, her voice rising in volume. "But that doesn't give us free reign to kill them all!"

"It doesn't? Didn't you say your team got hurt because of them? What happened to protecting them?"

"Don't you _dare_ bring my team into this."

May bared her teeth. "Then start making some goddamn sense!"

Blake snarled back, equally furious. "Why do you care about my team so much? It's none of your business! Worry about your own team for a change!"

May froze, her blood at boiling point. _Nolan._ She ground her teeth painfully together. Blake continued her yelling. "You're just a bloodthirsty killer! You're no better than the White Fang!"

"Shut up!" May screamed. Tears beaded at the corner of her eye. Blake froze at the intensity of her voice. "You're asking why they should die!? It's because I don't have a team anymore! One of my teammates got dragged off by a Nevermore, a Nevermore that was brought to the school by the White Fang! My other teammate was butchered by them! Half of my team is dead, and the final member has stranded himself in his room, unwilling to leave!" Tears streaked down her face and into her shirt.

"You say you regret your team splitting up, that it's your fault for letting it happen. You say you blame yourself, say you should've stopped your partner when you had the chance. Well, I say you're lucky. You're lucky and you don't know it! You're so fucking _lucky_ that you still have a team to worry about!"

Blake looked hurt, it took a moment for May to realize that Blake wasn't hurt for her own sake, but May's. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I didn't know. I should've guessed, I-"

May looked at the ground, barely managing to restrain her anger. But as quickly as it had arrived, her anger was boiling over into depression and exhaustion. She took a couple deep breaths to regain some composure. "The attack on Beacon. . . nobody should ever have to go through that sort of thing. You're entitled to your own sorrow, but. . . keep in mind that I, and others, are in pain too. That would be nice. That's all I ask." Guilt was apparent on Blake's face, her bow doing little to disguise her drooping feline ears. "And Blake?" Blake met her eye. "I'm sorry I snapped at you."

"No, it's okay. You have every right to." Her expression sent a twinge of pity through May's chest.

"Let's head out. It's been a big day for both of us. I'm sure we could use the time to process things."

"Yeah, good idea." Her reply sounded strained. "Rest would be good."

* * *

May got home right before the sunset, her foray into town with Blake having lasted all day. The train ride was quiet, neither willing to talk, each struggling with their own thoughts.

They two had parted ways at a nondescript train station, May had chosen to get off a stop before her usual one. Although she had dropped her assumptions about Blake being in the White Fang, she couldn't shake the feeling of paranoia that accompanied people knowing where she lived. As such, she was tired by the time she made it to her apartment, the fifteen minute walk sapping the rest of her strength.

 _It's been a long day. So much happened._ She didn't take much time getting to her room, dropping off her new ammo and magazines. After buying the information from Yurie, she barely had enough money for food; she had used the last of her rent money to pay for the information. _I should get Blake to pay for some of it. After all, she's still into that teamwork idea, I could probably ask._ She was disappointed to not have Lilac with her, but she supposed it was out of her control.

"Just a couple days until I get you back," she promised herself. She stretched, suddenly feeling restricted by her clothing. Blake's shirt had begun to feel foreign against her skin, she itched to get out of it. After grabbing a towel, she made to go to the shared restroom down the hall. She was sweaty and felt disgusting, having not showered in over thirty-six hours.

Once in the bathroom, she shed her clothing, standing nearly naked in front of the mirror to peel off the bandage from her chin. It had stopped bleeding, the browned fabric soaking up all the excess. Blake's shirt hung on the coat rack, a reminder of the crazy day. Upon closer inspection, the cut didn't look very deep, but face wounds tended to bleed a lot. _I know more about face wounds than nearly anybody._

Her beanie was the only article of clothing still left on her. This was one of her least favorite parts of every day, but it was necessary to remove it so she could clean her hair. May prepared herself with a deep breath, pulling the beanie from her head. Her rose-colored hair fell loosely, obscuring the left side of her face. _One barrier removed, another to take its place._

She wasn't sure she could handle seeing it today. While she had put up a facade of bravado in front of Blake, she felt fragile inside, like a wine glass that had been dropped and cracked, but had yet to shatter.

She came to her decision silently. The scar that marred her face and made her left eye useless, she didn't want to see it today. It was one of her few insecurities, and this was definitely not the time to think about it.

Her shower was short, but she used that time to allow the bathtub to fill. She scrubbed herself vigorously, washing the sweat from her body and dried blood from her chin. It colored the water crimson before going down the drain. She checked the mirror again to take a look at her chin; her aura would heal it at a faster rate, but she resigned herself to having a barely noticeable scar.

The apartment bathtub was of standard size, which meant May could stretch out her legs. She eased herself into it; the warm bath water having a soothing effect on her aching muscles. Because the bathroom was shared by six tenants and paid for by the landlady, she didn't worry too much about racking up a water bill. The small room had steamed up quickly, prompting May to open the large window that afforded her a relatively good view to the outside. She considered herself incredibly lucky to have such a nice bathroom, even if it was shared.

Resting an arm on the windowsill, she let out a sigh that echoed strangely in the steamy room. Looking over Vale from high vantage points did little to keep the loneliness at bay. She did her best to focus on buildings and clouds rather than her former team, which only worked for so long.

The warm water splashed impassively when her arm went limp, falling from the windowsill into the tub. She couldn't muster the energy to return it. It was a strange dichotomy. How could she be so comfortable in the water but feel so damaged inside?

Little by little, as the water cooled down and became cold, her mood paled. Thinking of Nolan, she began to shiver, tears rolling down her face before dropping from her chin and leaving cold trails down her chest. The water rose to meet her as she slid down, her chin meeting it.

The breeze from the window was offensive now, too cold. Once she lost feeling in her fingers, she forced herself to stand, unable to bring herself to care about the water she splashed onto the floor. With the sun having set, the bathroom was now dark and oppressive. She walked back to her room naked without drying herself, counting on the late hour to have the other tenants already in bed. Her strange schedule had prevented them from getting to know her well, outside of the occasional greeting.

When the door closed behind her, she was struck by how small and dark her room was. _How did I ever manage to call this place comfortable? It just makes it hard to breathe._ Her shoulders sagged and she let herself fall to her knees, dropping her towel and caddy on the floor. What few soap products she had fell out onto the floor.

Still wet, she unzipped her sleeping bag after climbing into it, unhappy with the thought that her legs were restricted by its confines. _I'll probably catch a cold._ She attempted forcing herself to think of happy things, but her mood made each progression of thought turn dark. _Sunshine on a clear day, pink flowers, the color pink that matches Nolan's eyes- nope. Try again._ May buried her face in her sleeping bag. _School life, homework, classes, travel, Beacon, the White Fang._ This wasn't working. But her thought of the White Fang led her to another. _Blake._

If she were being truthful with herself, the day with Blake hadn't really been bad after all the unpleasantness that had occurred in the beginning. Although she exaggerated her snarky attitude and the two had argued more than once, it felt good just to _talk._ It felt good to yell, to be able to affirm her existence outside of dealing death. Since Beacon, May hadn't really had many chances for casual conversation; everything was always so serious, businesslike. And sure, the dialogue that she and Blake had shared wasn't the most casual, but it forced her to realize how much she had missed human contact. _Absence makes the heart grow fonder, even if the heart doesn't realize it._

She reached her hand into the air, staring at her fingers while she curled them into different positions. "Maybe. . . Maybe I shouldn't ditch her as soon as I get Lilac back. It's not like I have any money. I don't even have enough to buy more ammo. There's a limit to what I can do by myself."

Talking out loud helped clear her mind, but is was the unspoken words, the ones that were hardest to admit, that forced her to make up her mind.

 _I don't want to be alone anymore._


	7. Stalk From The Wheat

**My sincere apologies for the lateness of this chapter! As I mentioned, I had a large amount of study abroad applications to complete. Those are done now, so I'll be able to return to a normal schedule. A huge thank you to those who read and leave reviews. No matter how small, they make my day!**

 **As always, thank you for reading Fifty Caliber Cat.**

* * *

A knock startled Blake out of her thoughts. Abandoning the maintenance she was doing on Gambol Shroud, she walked over to the door of the small apartment. After first checking through the peephole, she opened the door to reveal May. The sniper was dressed in comfortable looking pair of sweatpants and a hoodie, but they made her appear unkempt and lazy. A grey circle subtly lined the underside of her visible right eye, speaking of a night where restful sleep refused to be within her grasp. Her jaw was slack, as if she didn't have the energy to hold it closed. _You look like I feel._ She hadn't looked in a mirror, but Blake could safely assume they both looked equally unprepared for life that day.

"Good morning," Blake said, stepping aside to admit the sniper. May offered a grunt in return.

"Ugh. Morning." She let her shoulders sag, her backpack falling to the floor with a heavy thud. Blake latched the door behind her, moving back to her desk chair. Busying her hands with Gambol Shroud and the cleaning rag, she spared the sniper a glance.

"How were the last couple days for you?" They had last seen each other two days ago, agreeing to meet up so they could plan their first mission together. The fact that May was here gave Blake a good feeling inside. Although May's presence could be attributed to her missing her rifle, she fact that she arrived at all meant she was at least somewhat reasonable. The sense of familiarity was nice as well. There weren't many circumstances in which Blake would abandon Gambol Shroud, and she hoped May's train of thought was more or less the same.

"Oh, you know. This and that," May responded. "I made stir fry. . ." A long silence followed, Blake unsure if she should comment or not. If May was waiting for a response, she didn't show it. "I also scouted the area a little bit."

Blake's ears perked up. If the information they got from Yurie was correct, the White Fang would be meeting in a large grain processing factory in the Agricultural District of Vale. Being the southernmost district, the Agricultural District was somewhat separate from the majority of the city. Where tall buildings and residences dotted the main areas, southern Vale gave way to rolling hills of wheat, rows of fruit trees, and even a vineyard. Because the area was focused on food production and not commerce, security and police presence was minimal. A perfect place for the White Fang to gather.

"That's good to hear, I actually did as well. What did you think?"

"I figured you'd check it out." May nodded to herself for a moment. "The White Fang is meeting in the wheat production complex, building three. It's hard to tell exactly where they'll be inside, as I didn't want to risk getting near. So, as far as my skills go, I mostly scouted the surrounding area." She sat cross legged on the floor, unzipping her backpack to remove some items while she continued to speak. "It's a wheat production facility, so at this time of year the wheat is really tall. The grounds are covered in it which would make for excellent cover. That is, both for you and the enemy."

Blake watched as she stacked up boxes of ammunition neatly on the floor, before finally removing a smaller bag which wasn't opened. May stopped unpacking and looked at her. "I think one of the nearby buildings would make a good sniping spot. They're far enough away from the main complex. Probably. But enough about that. What did you think?"

Blake gave the slide of Gambol Shroud a once-over, deciding it was clean enough for the time being.

"Are you cleaning your pistol?" May gestured at the desk which held Gambol Shroud. "May I clean Lilac?"

 _Lilac?_ "Oh, you mean-"

"My rifle. I'll need to clean her eventually." Blake hesitated, disliking the idea. While May was looking away during their shopping trip, Blake had bought a small tracking device and tacked it into the inside of May's rifle. If she decided to run away, Blake could follow her easily. The device was attached to the largest portion of the rifle, and Blake was relatively sure it wouldn't be found. If May was looking hard enough though, she could probably notice the small lump that was attached to the inside of the part.

"Of course," she answered, trying not to sound suspicious. She opened the drawer and removed Lilac, handing it back to its owner. May began disassembling it; Blake covered the silence with her thoughts on the wheat facility. She had snuck through the wheat fields and checked out some of the inner buildings, but hadn't spent too much time scouting around. Work hours were still in effect, and she had no desire to be caught by the employees. There were limits to what information she could gather, as the White Fang weren't arriving until late and had left nothing to foreshadow their presence.

She halted mid-sentence once, when May abruptly stopped cleaning with a confused look on her face. Fearing that her tracking device had been found, Blake nervously reapplied her focus to cleaning Gambol Shroud's slide with vigorous strokes even though it was already spotless. May's suspicions didn't seem to be aroused, however, as she continued cleaning after another moment without incident. _Her thoughts must've been about something else._

The day inched by, until their silent routine of preparation interrupted with an argument. Although the two were working together, Blake felt the need to clearly define their plan of action.

"May. I. . . don't want to kill anybody tonight."

"Then I'll do it for you." She didn't spare a glance, but her response made Blake tense up. _You know what I meant._

"You know what I mean. What I'm saying is it's not necessary. We're looking for specific people, and these aren't them." An edge crept into her voice. "We're better than that. _You're_ better than that."

"You don't know me," May snapped back quickly, her voice wavering at the end. Her hand trembled and she dropped a handful of cartridges she had been loading into a magazine. "Ah-" May scrambled to pick them up, but three of the cartridges rolled across the floor, knocking against Blake's foot.

As she picked them up, some scratches on the casings caught her eye. Upon closer examination, the cartridges had been scratched deliberately, as if with a knife. No manufacturer would put markings on the casing like that, meaning they had been marked after being sold. She turned them over in her hands, reading the small lettering. Two of the casings were engraved with the letters _B.N.._ She turned over the final one. _R.S.._

May had gone silent, having gathered the rest of her dropped cartridges. Blake gulped as she made eye contact with the girl, slowly connecting the dots. _They're not random letters. They're initials._ May reached her shaking hand out, holding it open to receive the dust rounds. Blake handed them back quietly. She had no desire to press her argument. Breaking the silence would surely break the poor girl in front of her, who wore an expression that was equal parts worry and sadness.

 _I know who those initials belong to. . ._

The next few hours passed without either of them speaking, but using preparation as an excuse to suffer in silence, their thoughts elsewhere. Trying, and successively failing, to not think about their former teams.

* * *

The approach of evening saw a positive change in mood for the duo as they walked to their destination. Being outside and in fresh air was doing good things for their outlook, at least for the time being. At May's suggestion, they walked all the way to the Agricultural District, basking in the waning sunlight.

May stopped once the wheat facility came into view, clearing her throat to grab Blake's attention when she kept walking without noticing. "I think I'll set up a sniping spot here. I'll be able to see the entire field and facility, and since we're in close-range, we can stay in touch over scroll. That way I can point out the position of the guards, if there are any." Blake nodded in agreement. "Besides," May continued, "we'd might as well watch from a high vantage point until they get here anyway, there's not much else to do."

She walked over to the brick wall of a tall building and knocked on it with her fist. "Do you think this will do?" Blake didn't bother checking before nodding her confirmation; she didn't know too much about sniping and wasn't about to let her bad judgement interfere with May doing her job. Especially when May would probably be pointing out positions of White Fang members that she couldn't see.

"Alright then. Come here," May held her arms out, as if expecting a hug.

"Uh, what's happening?" Blake asked, puzzled. She wasn't a huge fan of unnecessary physical contact.

"We're climbing the building, silly! Come on!" May beckoned her over, her smile growing.

"And. . . how are we doing that, exactly?"

"My semblance. Now _come here_. I won't bite." Blake's confusion and hesitation caused her to stumble when she took a step forward. May caught her and wrapped an arm around her waist. An awkward second passed. "You're a terrible hugger," she sighed. "Put your arms around me."

Blake started, realizing her arms had been hanging stiffly by her side. The side of May's face was uncomfortably close, she angled her head so she wouldn't brush against it. She loosely draped her arms around May's midsection.

"Better. Now, your legs."

Blake had to make sure she heard that right. "My legs?"

"Yes." Blake's feline ears twitched at the word.

". . . No." She tried to let go, but May pulled her back in with her free arm, whispering in her ear.

"If you don't, you're going to fall. And that wouldn't be good for either of us." Blake squirmed. _For the mission. For the mission._ She repeated the line a couple times to herself, trying her best to believe it, before squeezing her eyes tightly shut. With a quick hop, she wrapped her legs around May, doing her best to grip tight enough to make it painful in passive-aggressive revenge for the situation she was in. Unfortunately, May didn't seem to care.

"Hurry up," she growled. She wasn't sure her pride could be diminished any more.

May turned and faced the wall, placing a free hand on the surface. "Hold on tight," she spoke, her voice returning to its mission-oriented tone. She bent at the knees to lower herself, then jumped up quickly. Blake gasped in surprise as they continued upwards, defying gravity to fly up the side of the building. May's purple aura outlined her form, glinting in Blake's eyes. She couldn't help but marvel at the view as they ascended. Vale stretched out before her, more and more buildings coming into view the higher they got. The wind tousled their hair, the world blissfully quiet.

She was snapped out of her reverie when they reached the top, dropping onto the roof. She immediately released May, glad to create some physical distance. She didn't dislike the girl; she simply wasn't the touchy type. When May fell to the ground, gasping, concern overrode her thoughts on her physical bubble.

"May! Are you okay?" The sniper rolled onto her back, gulping down large amounts of air. Her aura flickered weakly, probably close to its breaking point. She gave a small thumbs up, but took a minute to catch her breath.

"Yeah," she said between breaths. "Didn't expect it to be that hard, that's all." She sat up, leaning on her palms when her breathing finally evened. "Carrying somebody while going up is really difficult."

"So your semblance is to jump up buildings?" May nodded.

"It's more of a sliding action, but yeah. I have to keep contact with the wall, and then I can go up and down at a constant speed. If I weren't carrying you, I could've gone much farther." She leaned against an air conditioning unit. Drawing Blake's gaze by pointing, she indicated the Vale skyline. "Wow. Look at that view."

Blake turned to see the sun setting over the ocean, their high vantage point letting them see both Vale and the distant ocean horizon. Buildings casted elongating shadows, gentle streetlamps lighting the city below. The vestiges of the sun's light shone on the fields of wheat, the golden color wavering as the wheat moved with the breeze, looking like an ocean itself. The view was absolutely magnificent, both May and Blake enjoyed it with silent fondness.

The sense of peace both girls felt wasn't tarnished by thoughts of the mission they'd be completing in a few hours. The sunset had a calming effect on both of them, allowing the two to legitimately enjoy their time without reminiscing on painful memories, but rather, enjoying the happy ones. A contented look graced both their faces. _This is. . . actually pretty nice,_ Blake thought to herself.

* * *

The advancement of the night brought a gradual return of the mission-oriented mindset. May had set up her sniping position on the opposite side of the rooftop, making sure the wheat facility and the surrounding fields were neatly within both view and range. Blake busied herself with a romance novel while May fiddled with her rifle. As the hour grew late, Blake made her way down the building with Gambol Shroud, hiding amongst the wheat to lie in wait. Assuming the White Fang would do a careful sweep of the building before the meeting, she had opted to wait outside and sneak in after. That also gave her the option of calling off the mission if she decided the risks were too great. She wouldn't under any circumstance, but it was one of the reasons she gave May for not sneaking into the facility beforehand.

She kept her scroll in hand, waiting for May's voice. She couldn't see from within the wheat field; without May, she was technically blind to outside movement. Because of that, she and May were keeping in contact over scroll so May could update her on the movements of White Fang members. It was an exercise in trust that Blake would've preferred not to take, had there been other options.

May's voice came through her scroll. She held it up to her uncovered feline ears; the volume at its lowest possible point. It was no earpiece, but the quiet scroll wouldn't be heard by anyone other than Blake.

" _There are three vans approaching the parking lot next to the facility. I can't tell yet, but I'd guess at the most there could be twenty-one of them."_

"Alright." Sure enough, she could hear the hum of the engines as they neared. She stayed in her spot, kneeling on the cold ground.

" _Okay,_ " came May's voice again. " _They're getting out. Looks like there are sixteen of them._ " A pause followed before a correction. " _Wait. Seventeen. Seventeen total._ _They're starting to spread out. Most of them are going to the building, but six of them are moving to secure the perimeter. I'll let you know if they get close to you._ "

Although it hadn't been discussed further, Blake could rest assured that May wouldn't kill any of the members as long as Blake was undetected. Shooting would blow Blake's cover and alert the White Fang, which was even more incentive for Blake to do a good job of remaining hidden. _I can't fail._

With that thought in mind, Blake began moving. She carefully pushed her way through the stalks of grain, rustling them in tandem with the wind so as not to attract attention. It made for slow going, but allowed her to continue undetected until she was in the vicinity of the gates leading to the building complex. Once inside, she would be able to make a run through the courtyard for the main wheat facility building. Her only issue was the two guards that stood near the gate.

They didn't look particularly threatening, by she would be hard-pressed to knock both of them out without others hearing. She spoke quietly into her scroll, explaining the situation. "May, there are two guards blocking the gate. I want to take them out, but I can't do it without making a little noise."

May's voice crackled quietly through the scroll. " _I see them. Let me locate the other three. There's one pretty close, but let me find the others. Hang tight._ " Blake heard incomprehensible muttering coming from the sniper while she searched the fields. " _It's dark, so I can't see as well. That's why it's taking so long. Ah! There we go. There are two on the opposite side of the compound, they won't hear anything. The other guy on your side is moving away, and it looks like the one closest to you is. . . smoking, maybe? He's holding still, at least. You'll need to take him out if you don't want the ones at the gates to alert the main group._ "

"Alright, I'm going in. Let me know if anything changes." She crept through the stalks as quietly as possible, until the subtle red glow of a cigarette became visible. She smiled sardonically at the irony. _Smoking is bad for you, or haven't you heard?_ With a quick rush forward before he could react, Blake wrapped the ribbon of Gambol Shroud around his neck, pulling him to the ground as she choked him. He struggled, his limbs flailing for a moment and disturbing the wheat. A quiet rustle sounded as the stalks were stirred, before both he and the wheat went silent. She removed the ribbon and checked his pulse. He would wake up with a massive headache, and probably not remember much of the night, but he would live.

Blake made sure his body wouldn't be visible, and also ground out the cigarette. It would be terrible if it caught the wheat on fire. She knelt again, pulling out her scroll. "I got the one. I'm going for the ones guarding the gate now." She took the silence that followed as confirmation. It took a moment, but she eventually was close to the guards once again. They talked quietly, relaxing against the wall. Although they were posted to guard duty, they obviously didn't expect any trouble since they were in the Agricultural District and would see trouble from a mile away if the police showed up.

Their guard was lowered, nearly nonexistent. Blake sprinted in, a powerful kick slamming into the side of one of one of the guards faces. He fell to the ground, his mask cracking from the force of the kick. The second guard let out a startled "huh?" before looking at the cat faunus that had just knocked his guard partner out. Taking him completely by surprise, a force from a different direction knocked his head into the wall, and before his vision went black, he was able to make out the shape of the attacker disappearing, as if it had never been there in the first place.

Blake's shadow clone dissipated, its purpose as a distraction complete. Working quickly, she dragged the guards out of sight, stowing them in a pile in the wheat. Under different circumstances, they could have been mistaken for lovers who had fallen asleep in the fields in post-coital bliss. _Not unlike in Ninjas of Love. . ._ Stifling her grin, she shook her head to refocus. _Not the time, Blake._

Blake knelt at the gateway, waiting for May's assessments of the courtyard. Her voice came through a second later " _Good job there. From where you are, it's a straight shot to the entrance. Keep in mind that once you're inside, I won't be able to see anything._ "

"Alright, I'm going in."

" _Try to be quick. If the perimeter guards come back around and find their comrades gone or unconscious, they'll raise an alarm._ "

Blake ran into the courtyard. A White Fang walked around the corner of the building, stopping in his tracks when he saw her. She skidded to a halt, then switched direction so she was sprinting in his direction. She split using her semblance, her shadow clone causing just enough confusion to delay him in taking aim. Blake knocked him out with a quick succession of strikes to the chest and throat, his weapon clattered on the floor.

" _Shit! I'm sorry!_ " May hissed through the scroll. " _I can't believe I didn't see him!_ " Blake crouched, alert for any signs of trouble, ready to bolt if need be. Only the silence of the night made it to her ears; she had apparently gotten very lucky. She held the scroll back to her face, speaking quickly. "Don't worry about it. I'm going in now, so tell me if anything happens out here. Good?"

" _Got it. You should be clear to enter. I'll keep an eye on the guys outside._ "

Blake approached the front door, sidling against the wall. Listening closely, she was unable to hear any sounds so she slowly opened it, slipping inside. Even with her natural night vision, the interior of the wheat facility was dark. She opened her eyes wide to allow the maximum amount of light in. The main room was large, but sparsely decorated. A reception are stood to the left, its small size evidence of the small amount of visitors that came. Try as Blake might, her boots made audible noise on the tiles as she walked toward a set of double doors across the room. Her feline ears made her footsteps sound loud when compared to the lack of ambient noise.

The double doors led to a massive room filled with long rows of grain silos and large farm equipment. Blake payed no mind to the room, expecting the White Fang would be more likely to meet in a conference room of some sort.

During her search of the lower floor, she had a close call when she heard a pair of guards talking to each other as they walked toward her. Pressing herself into a small nook between a potted plant and the wall, Blake made herself as small as she could, drawing the katana portion of Gambol Shroud. Luckily, the guards passed without incident, giving her no reason to attack. After tentatively listening with her ear against a couple more doors, she came to the conclusion that the first floor was empty. It was time to move upward.

She chose a staircase near the farthest corner of the building from the entrance to lower the chances of encountering White Fang guards on or near the staircase. She kept up contact with May, but the sniper could only offer so much help, not being able to see inside the building. The guards outside apparently weren't causing problems, and hadn't found their unconscious partners.

The second floor was much more active in terms of White Fang presence. Guards walked through the hallways, making small talk. Blake had to be much more careful while navigating, but she did her best to stealthily follow the sound of voices. She crept behind them for a couple twists and turns, until the guards stopped. She peeked around the corner to look at them, trying to find out what was going on.

Two stationary guards had struck up a conversation with the ones Blake had followed. The group of four laughed at something one of them said. Watching carefully, Blake was able to see two other guards leaning against a set of double doors, comfortably joking with the two she had been following. "Having fun?" one of them asked.

"Not a chance," said a female voice. "We've only been here for fifteen minutes, but I'm already bored outta my fuckin' mind. How long do these meetings last, anyway?"

"Shit, I dunno," came a third response. "Make yourselves comfortable though, could be a while."

"Ugh. We'd better get a bigger check this month for putting up with their crap. Guard duty is boring as hell. Why can't I be part of a strike team or something? I'd kill to go on a heist. . ."

The complaining faded as Blake moved away. The position of the two guards at the door could very possibly mean that the main group was behind them. Blake snuck through a doorway, finding herself in a small storage closet. "May. You there?"

" _Hey. Any news?_ "

She explained the situation to the sniper in hushed whispers. May was quiet for a moment, mulling the problem over in her head. " _So you need to get behind those doors. . . Well, you can't go with force, that would be stupid. Can your semblance help at all? Please tell me you can turn invisible._ "

"Sorry, I can't."

" _Of course not,_ " May sighed.

"It also wouldn't get me through the doors," she pointed out. The silence in the storage closet became deafening with the absence of her voice.

" _What if you. . . went in through the ceiling? The room itself might be relatively soundproof, but ceilings, especially low-budget ones, usually are made of those removeable panels, right?_ "

Blake smiled, looking up to see exactly what May had described. "Looks like we're in luck. Good thinking."

" _I do my best!_ "

Blake stood on a stack of boxes to reach the ceiling. After moving one of the panels, she pulled herself into the ceiling crawlspace. She moved slowly in the direction of the double doors, careful to place her weight on the metal supports. She could hear the guards talking below her when she came near; she changed direction slightly until she was sure she was above her target room. An authoritative voice became audible from beneath, confirming her suspicions.

Blake flattened herself on the panels, spreading out her weight painfully on the metal struts to keep from falling through. She moved a ceiling panel to the side with painstaking slowness, until she could see into the room through the small gap. Light harshly bathed her face, causing her to squint. As she had expected, one of the White Fang members was pacing at the end of the room, creating dark shadows against the wall as he moved back and forth in front of a projector screen. The other occupants were watching, listening as he spoke in reference to whatever was being projected.

Blake seemed to have arrived as he was switching subjects, having just enough time to snap a photo of the projector screen with her scroll camera. She wasn't sure what she had just taken a photo of, but figured she'd look over it later. The speaker's next sentence caught her attention.

"Our leader will be holding a small summit soon. He'll be meeting some of his top operatives at Carmine's, in the Upper Class district." Blake began a video recording with her scroll, so she'd be able to capture both the speaker's words and the contents of the slideshow. "You know who you are. Don't be late. You know how much he _hates_ that." The speaker's voice took on a sarcastic quality. Blake couldn't make out his face, but could be certain he was smiling cruelly. A map appeared on the slideshow, and he pointed to the upper-left to emphasize his words.

Making sure to focus the scroll on the slides as they changed, Blake spent the rest of the meeting listening in from the ceiling. The best information had apparently already passed, because the members began speaking of grunt work and small robbery and heist operations that were under their jurisdiction. The turn of the conversation wasn't conducive to information gathering; Blake considered leaving with the small information she already had.

She stiffened when she heard loud slamming on the door to the conference room. "Open up! We've got an intruder and a sniper!" Two White Fangs burst through the door, yelling into scrolls. "Lock down the exits, don't let anyone escape!" In stark contrast to the last few minutes, the room burst into activity, the speaker barking out orders above the other voices.

"Find them, and bring them to me! I'll show them what they get for thinking they can attack our ranks!"

Blake took her chance to escape during the commotion. She abandoned her position above the conference room, crawling until she was above the next room before dropping down. When she ended her scroll video, May's panicked voice came to her.

" _Blake! I've been trying to reach you! I thought you got caught? What happened?_ "

"Sorry, I was taking a video. What happened?"

" _The guards you took out were found! You need to get out of there!_ "

"Okay. I'm getting out, I'll be through the front in less than a minute!"

" _No time! Get out through a window or something! A couple just ran in through the front, and they'll expect you to leave through the first floor!_ "

"Alright. Leaving now." Blake ran into the hallway full tilt, immediately slamming into two guards that were running by. She and one of the guards fell in a confused heap, the other was far too large for her to have knocked him over.

"There!" He yelled. "I found ya, rat!" Surprised yells came from the other side of the hallway, making Blake's decision for her. She wouldn't have a chance to fight. Leaving a shadow clone behind, she leapt past the big man causing him to snarl in frustration. Unsure of whom to follow, the guard on the floor put a couple of shots into Blake's clone, yelping as it vanished. He turned, expending the rest of his magazine in an attempt to hit Blake's fleeing form. Most of the shots missed, and the ones that hit were stopped by her aura. "She's going that way!" he yelled. His large companion give chase.

Blake sprinted down the thankfully empty hallway, hoping to find a window. Sparing a quick glance over her shoulder was a mistake. The large man was coming after her, gaining. She took a couple sharp turns down perpendicular hallways, hoping to lose him, but he kept up, barrelling through the tight confines. Normal sized hallways were obviously not built with his ridiculously imposing frame in mind.

A final turn later, her salvation presented itself. At the end of the stretch, a small window beckoned, gleaming the moonlight. She made a mad dash for it. An yell came from behind her, a booming voice yelled with a thick accent. "Gotcha!" His hand closed around a length of her hair.

Ignoring the pull, Blake jumped, curling into a ball to fit through the window. She broke the pane and flew into the sky, before a vicious jerk pulled her backward. With a yell of pain, she fell the rest of the way to the ground, landing uncomfortably in a roll. The amount of hair that the White Fang had grabbed was small, but half of it had been torn out rather than snapping halfway down the length. It wouldn't be noticeable, but it hurt like hell. With a cry of pain, she raised her scroll to her mouth.

"Ahh shit! May! I'm out! Making a run for it! Where do I go?"

" _Hang on!_ "

A guard rounded the corner, raising his rifle. "There you are! Die!" As he said the last word, a concussive sound assaulted the air; the side of his chest exploded outward in a disgusting display of blood and viscera. What used to be his torso splattered across the ground with a sickening _slap_. He fell to the ground as Blake's eyes widened in horror. She kept running but barely avoided getting sick in the field.

" _Blake! Get out, you've got to keep running! They're close behind you!_ " Gunfire sounded behind her, bullets whizzing past her ear. " _Get low in the wheat, but keep moving, they won't be able to follow you._ " Another, louder shot sounded, the signature sound of May's rifle silencing one of the sources of gunfire behind her. Blake ran in a low crouch, disappearing into the wheat. Running in a zigzag pattern, she made her way to the edge of the field. The buildings of the more urban part of the Agricultural District loomed in front of her.

She relaxed too early when the voices faded, only to be replaced by the loud screeching of multiple tires on pavement. Two of the vans careened through the wheat, flattening stalks as they drove in her general direction in an attempt to find and run her over. As they quickly found out though, it was an exercise in futility. The wheat fields were simply too large, and Blake too well-hidden.

The first van stopped within twenty feet of Blake. "Call off the search," one of them yelled. "Let's just be done." She lowered herself fully to the ground, doing her best to blend in with the dirt. Her heartbeat began rising, spiking when the other van pulled up on the other side of her. Sandwiched between the two vehicles, she was unable to move. A White Fang jumped out, shouting over her to the occupants of the other van.

"Are you sure?" The young man walked forward, each step bringing him closer to where Blake was hidden. "What if they overheard something?"

"Ehh, as long as we tell the boss what happened, it'll be fine. He'll think of something."

The younger one seemed satisfied with the answer. "Alright, sounds good- wait what the hell?!" A bright light from his flashlight bathed the stalks of wheat. The young man stood in a ready position, as if he were about to attack something.

 _Please don't see me. Please don't._ Blake focused all her concentration into slowing her raging pulse. If the man were a Faunus with excellent hearing, he'd be able to hear it. The silence stretched on for a tense minute, his flashlight even crossing her form quickly. He didn't seem to see her, his pass was much too quick and her jacket blended well. The search dragged on, the humming of the vans the only noise.

"You see something?"

The man growled, stowing the light. "Must've been some damned animal or something. C'mon, let's go." Blake slowly breathed in, her lungs screaming for air. _Thank god._ If worst had come to worst, she'd have been hard-pressed to escape. Her semblance would only give her a small distraction; if they knew she were there, they could do a lot more damaged. Contrary to the usual grunts, this group had at least a few skilled members. She had gotten very lucky.

She remained face-down in the dirt until the vans disappeared, heading back to the wheat facility, most likely to pick up the bodies of the rest of their team. Depending on how many there were, Blake had a sufficient window of time to make her escape. She cautiously got to her feet and contacted May. "I'm out," she said, leaving the safety of the fields to head toward the city. "Where are you?"

" _Good to hear. Let's just meet back at your place. It'll be best if we leave separately; that way we can draw less suspicion. They saw you, so you need to move fast. I have more time._ "

"Alright. See you in a bit."

" _Don't get caught._ "

If she chose to use the train, she could probably make it back to her room before the sun rose. She decided against it, however, disliking the idea of taking transport. She was the last to get sick on cars and trains, but after seeing that White Fang getting brutally shot in such proximity. . .she thought it best to clear her head. She shuddered, reliving the moment where his chest burst outward and ceased to be what classified as a torso.

 _A bit of a walk will do some good._


	8. Ideologies

**Thanks again to those who read, review, like, and favorite! Each one of you brightens my recently rainy college days! The writer's block struck me hard this week, so I wrote a small fic called "Steal Words" to clear my head, if you're interested. Not even I know where it will go in the future. . .**

 **As always, thank you for reading; please enjoy Chapter 8 of Fifty Caliber Cat.**

* * *

Blake paced around her apartment restlessly. May still hadn't returned, and she was beginning to think the girl had run off. Not that it would cause a huge problem thanks to the tracking chip she had implanted in the sniper's rifle, but it would be an incredibly large hassle. Blake also didn't like to admit to herself, but she'd be sad to see May leave so suddenly. They'd only known each other for a couple days, but Blake, to her surprise, found she liked the having company. Contrary to her solitary nature, perhaps, but three months with minimal human contact made for a lonely existence.

Their mutual enjoyment of the sunset had been another great part of their teaming up, creating a sense of camaraderie between the two. Once the mission started however, the rest of the night. . . hadn't gone so well. The image of the man that May had shot stayed vividly in her mind; she was not excited to see how it would influence her nightmares. Blake was still unsure of the reasons why May had started shooting in the first place, but intended to find out. Luckily, her chance came much sooner than she expected.

The door opened suddenly, May entered the apartment breathing heavily. Her jacket dripped on the wooden floor; it must've started raining after Blake had gotten back. "Are you okay? What took so long?" she asked. May discarded her jacket, leaning her rifle against the wall.

"I'm fine," she huffed. "The White Fang stuck around for a while after, I had to wait for a good time to get out. I started running a couple minutes ago when it started raining." She hung her jacket on the doorknob by the hood and walked into the bathroom. Returning with a hand towel, she sat on the floor and began drying her face and hair, without removing her beanie.

The formalities out of the way, a million questions sprang into Blake's mind. "What was that? What the hell happened back there?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing!" she retorted. "You can't just go dark like that! I thought you had been captured!" May had a point, but Blake defended herself anyway.

"I was taking a video of the meeting," she growled. "I couldn't contact you because they could've heard me."

"When somebody goes dark like that, it's only natural to expect they've been captured!"

Blake immediately shot her argument down. "No, when somebody stops responding, they're most likely in a tight spot and can't speak at the moment! Did you even think of that?" May looked down with an equal mixture of embarrassment and guilt on her face.

"Look, I know. I panicked, okay?" she said through gritted teeth.

"You _panicked_? Since when does panicking take the form of starting a shooting spree? The guards outside were harmless!" She spread her arms wide to emphasize her point.

"I was trying to keep them outside! One of them found the unconscious guards, and I thought it would draw attention away from you and make them find me!"

"That doesn't make any sense, and I know you know that. The presence of a sniper makes people run for cover, not out into the open. I think we both know the truth, May. You panicked, and somehow thought it would be a good idea to kill everyone in sight." She intentionally made her wording harsh. She had grown tired of the sniper pretending she could deal death like a god, remaining morally above the ones she killed. "How many did you kill last night?" Her voice suggested the question as an order, demanding an answer.

"Only three," she immediately replied.

"There's no such thing as 'only' three."

"I-" she trailed off, sighing. "I know."

Blake pressed on, deciding to push her luck. _If I can make a point here, maybe I can get her to actually listen to me on this._ "You may be a victim of the White Fang. But you're using that title as a shield. It's just a convenient way to justify what you're doing. I may not be much of a role model for courage, but not even I would sink to something as low as that."

Standing, May lowered her voice in rage. "You don't know anything about me. About what I've been through. You can't just walk into my life and start criticizing me for the way I do things. I'm not sure what kind of rosy lens _you're_ seeing this through, but I'm justified. I know I'm justified." She turned her back on Blake. "In fact, If I'm a terrible person for killing those that deserve it, you're no better. You're too soft, Blake."

With those words, Blake was pushed over the edge. Instead of cold fury, she positively vibrated with anger. She stood as well, ready to meet May on the metaphysical battleground of ideology. _I'm going to prove you wrong._ "You're doing the same thing as them," she accused. "You're just as bad as the White Fang."

May spun on her heel, glaring through her one eye. "What."

"You're doing the same thing. Your anger, _our_ anger, may be justified. But what you're doing is taking your anger and pinning it on an entire group."

"What the hell are you talking about." May's anger didn't falter, but a hint of confusion entered her voice.

"Humans treat Faunus terribly. Like dirt. By many, we're viewed as the lowest form of life on the planet, on par with animals, and even Grimm. Our anger makes sense. But, what's the point in attacking every single human in the name of peace? A huge amount of humans in general don't have the same prejudiced views as the rest! That's why it doesn't make logical sense to kill all of them! The focus should be put on the leaders of humanity, the ones that lead subjugation from the top of the human hierarchy. People like the ones that run the Schnee Dust Company."

"I get what you're saying, but this is different! The White Fang, the whole organization, they want to kill everybody that isn't part of them, the ones that don't adhere to their grand plan. And if the fall of Beacon taught us anything, it's that they're willing to do anything to make that happen!" May's voice became softer. "My team, my _friends,_ died because of them. So if you think getting revenge isn't the right thing to do, then I suggest you think again."

"I'm not saying you shouldn't, I'm saying you're doing it wrong," Blake growled.

"Yeah? Well maybe I'm tired of people telling me I should take the moral high ground! That's what you're going to suggest, right? Get revenge _diplomatically_? Report them to the police? Let others do the dirty work? Well, maybe I _want_ to be the monster this time. Maybe I don't care what people think of me."

Blake ignored what was probably a jest, preferring to bombard her with yet another question. "How many people have you killed since the fall?"

"That doesn't matter. It's enough that I don't feel it anymore."

"Really? Do you really believe that? Because it sounds to me like you're desperately trying to convince yourself you don't care."

She knew what the answer to her next question would be, but asked it anyway. "Are you sure this is even about revenge, or do you just enjoy killing?" Blake straightened her face, calming her features form the angry glare into a disappointed frown. The calmer she appeared, the more intimidating her questions would be. Cold, rational anger perhaps lacked the force of yelled words, but was far more unsettling.

A hint of panic crept into May's voice. " _Don't_ psychoanalyze me."

"I'm right, aren't I?"

"No. You don't know anything about me."

"I know enough. You wouldn't be defending your point of view so adamantly if you actually thought you were in the right. Why don't you just leave? Or are you afraid to admit that I'm right about you?"

May stood fuming, but said nothing. Whether she was going to defend herself, explode and start yelling, or even leave, Blake wasn't sure. May was grinding her teeth hard; it took all of Blake's willpower not to flinch at the sound. She spoke before May could.

"As much as you say that you're doing the right thing, that you're killing because of righteous reasons, I don't think you're an emotionally dead sniper. You know what you're doing isn't admirable, isn't justifiable. It isn't right, May, and it doesn't take too much thought to realize that. You're wearing this persona that rationalizes your need for revenge, but deep down, it doesn't actually account for anything." A sudden thought stopped Blake mid-sentence. "You. . . you've thought about all this before, haven't you?" May's silence told her more than she needed to know to confirm her suspicions. "But then, why didn't you stop?" Blake spoke slowly, pity creeping over her. Or, perhaps it was empathy. Blake knew what the sniper must be feeling. A thirst for revenge was already destructive enough, but when paired with guilt, anger, and loneliness. . . nobody could continue down a path like that and emerge mentally unscathed.

May gulped loudly, and then surprised Blake by quietly bursting into tears. Shuddering breaths accompanied the drops running down her face. "I don't know," she whispered. "I. . . I don't know what I should do. I don't know what I'm _supposed_ to do." She sank to her knees, leaning against the wall. Her hands went limp at her sides as she slumped, as if lacking the energy to do anything besides force words through her tears. "This whole thing, the Beacon thing. It's totally messed up my perception of right and wrong, Blake. I know that my team wouldn't want me to do this, wouldn't want to see me like this. But-" she looked up at Blake through her blurry eye. "But what about me? What about what _I_ want? How am I supposed to just let it go? I know I should be focusing on healing and letting go, but I'm just so. . . angry. I'm. . . tired too." She let her head sag to rest on her chest. "I'm really tired."

 _This is my fault._ While Blake had intended for this outcome to happen, she hadn't been prepared for the guilt that inevitably accompanied her cruel actions. She had reduced May to tears, who now leaned apathetically against the wall. Thoughts bounced around in her head, justifying and then debunking the justifications of her actions in quick succession. Had it really been necessary to make her so sad just to prove a point? _No,_ she reminded herself. _It needed to happen, and how it happened doesn't matter. If I'm here to help her, I need to do the best I can._

Blake walked over to the girl's hunched form. Leaning against the wall, she sat next to her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. The two sat side by side in silence for a minute.

"Your anger is misplaced, and I think deep down, you know that," Blake finally spoke. "Killing randomly, without a goal or purpose, justifying it with a flimsy excuse. You won't accomplish anything that way."

May stayed motionless, staring ahead with an unfocused eye. The tears didn't stop, but she had stopped shuddering with each breath, her body looking almost lifeless. Her voice was small, lacking any evidence that she had been yelling minutes before. "Yeah. I know."

Before her, Blake saw not a confident sniper or a cold hearted killer, but a girl that needed saving.

Her past had been fraught with mistakes. Maybe she had committed even more by running away. When things got dangerous with Adam and the White Fang, she got scared and ran. When the attack on Beacon happened, she left her team, left Yang, behind. Blake had no doubt she'd regret that for the rest of her life.

 _The path to facing your fears starts with small steps. I've made so many mistakes, I've hurt so many people. Maybe. . . I can do some good here, and start to make up for at least some of them._ Pity filled her heart when she focused again on May's body. _May, I'm going to save you._

"May, it's not too late to stop. You- no, _we_ can make this right." Her words garnered no response. "You just have to trust me. Please, May. Let me help you." She put an arm around the girl's shoulders, drawing her closer, her disapproval of close proximity overridden by the need to comfort.

May didn't resist the pull, her head limply falling onto Blake's shoulder. Her rose-colored hair swept over her eye, sticking to her tear-stained face. Despite the annoyance, she made no attempt to wipe it away.

"How," she whispered. "What could you possibly do to help?" The utter despair in her voice caught Blake off guard. It sounded as if months of mentally exhausting work had finally caught up to her, leaving her apathetic and unwilling to move.

"We've both been through some really terrible stuff. That's not going to heal overnight. It's going to take time. But it's not something we can run away from." Blake sighed, hoping she could follow her own advice. "It's what our teams would want."

Bringing up May's team was very risky, and quite the obvious play to her pity. However, that didn't make the words she said any less true. Blake couldn't begin to guess what May's team had been like, but she figured it was safe to assume that they would've wanted what was best for her.

"I know you want me to stop. I'm. . . just not ready to do that. Maybe you're right about most of them, maybe they don't deserve it. I don't know. But what I do know, is that there are some that don't deserve to be alive. I can't stop hunting them." She allowed a pause to punctuate her words. "You understand that, right?"

"I understand. And I'm not asking you to stop. I'm just telling you to slow down. I was once told the same by somebody. . . very close to me. It's what I needed to hear at the time, and I think it's what you need to hear too. Revenge, at best, isn't the most mentally healthy of activities. But, I can understand why it's necessary. So, why not make it as easy for yourself as possible? You've already been through enough pain, May. Please don't torture yourself further."

The pair sat in silence for a long time, unmoving. Each wrapped up in their own thoughts, taking small comfort in each other's company. She was certain May wouldn't be able to notice, but their breathing had roughly synchronized, adding to the feeling of connection between the two. As if they had only each other to rely upon. In a way, it wasn't inaccurate to think so.

"Just. . . promise me something." Blake received a silence in return which she took as meaning she held May's attention. "Promise me you won't kill unnecessarily anymore. Promise me that you'll acknowledge the White Fang as evil and horrible, but that doesn't mean you should let rage consume every moment of your life. Help me, May. Help me attack them where it will actually make a difference. This may seem awfully high and mighty coming from somebody who ran away, but please, at least consider it. Our methods and motives may be different, but we can work towards achieving the same goal. Help me find those directly responsible for. . . all this."

The room returned once again to silence, both girls digesting the words. May gave no signs of reaction, save for a sigh that came from her a minute later.

"I should go," May said, standing shakily. Choking up, she barely got the next sentence out. "I think I need to be alone for a while. I've got. . . a lot to think about." Blake nodded, an expression of pain on her face. _We both do._ "And . . . I don't think I'm capable of making any decisions right now."

Blake watched her as she stepped out into the rain. The door slowly shut over the next few seconds before latching shut with a click. Finally alone, she became aware of how tired she was. Daylight was still many hours away, but the mission had taken a large portion of the night. Although she could easily sleep in, she preferred not to on the grounds that it would waste daylight hours. The sunrise promised to bring yet another tired day to her.

"Did I do the right thing?" she wondered, resisting the urge to pace. She had been incredibly harsh, quite possibly too harsh. May hadn't even taken most of her belongings with her, leaving her wet rifle and her backpack, braving the drizzle with nothing but a jacket.

Although she meant well, Blake regretted the words that had passed between them. She would've preferred to quietly talk out their differences, but bringing up a conversation like that calmly wouldn't work. May would either brush her off completely or end up getting angry anyway. Therefore, she had figured the only way to get May to see what she was doing was wrong was to hammer the point home harshly.

 _Yelling, using cruel words. I feel like I'm becoming. . . him._ She shuddered, vigorously shaking her head to clear the thoughts, and failing. _I really am a shitty person. . ._

* * *

May walked back in the rain, allowing herself to become thoroughly soaked. At some point she started crying again, but her tears were indistinguishable from the raindrops that soaked into her beanie and streaked down her face. _We've known each other for less than ten days, and she can already see through me like I'm made of glass. Why? How can she do that?_ Had it really been that obvious? Had she failed so badly to convince not only herself, but Blake too, that she thought she was doing the right thing?

As much as she didn't like it, Blake had been spot on about her. Her words had struck much deeper than she thought possible, tearing her defenses to bits. She was no better than an aimless vigilante, using her victim status as a shield to rationalize her grudge against the White Fang. She knew it wasn't healthy, that justice was only an excuse. Her hate was at best, self- destructive, and at worst, it would only accelerate her fall from the graces of morality. May was well aware of the fact that continuing would only leave her feeling worse each day.

Hours later, within the safety of her room, choked sobs wracked her body. She knelt in front of the picture of her team, hugging herself in her own shivering arms. "I'm sorry," she repeated to the picture. _I'm so sorry. What have I been doing, and for how long? I always knew that you guys wouldn't be proud of the person I've become. But. . . why didn't that stop me? Why did it take someone else to make me realize how horrible I've become? Why couldn't I stop myself?_

 _I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Brawnz. You always believed in me. And Roy. You wouldn't want this._ The final teammate brought a new wave of guilt over her. She and Nolan had always been much closer than the others, spending many of their prominent moments at school in each others company. _Nolan. I want you to know that I do regret it. I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to save the others. I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to stop becoming. . . whatever it is that I've become. I just know that. . . I don't want to be who I am right now._

All her life, she had refused to ask for forgiveness in any situation. It always selfish to her, to ask that others find it within them to forgive. Forgiveness to May was something that was given of free will by those who were wronged. She was perfectly willing to apologize for misdeeds, and take the blame for mistakes she had made. But to ask forgiveness. . . she always felt that asking would lower her in the eyes of both herself and others.

There in the darkness, with nobody to witness but the photo in the frame, May broke one of her strongest self-imposed rules.

"Can you. . . forgive me?" she asked, looking at the photo. No words passed between them, but the smiles of her teammates looked back at her and gave her the answer she needed. They had always been there during the tough times, and, in a way, they were with her now. If she were brave enough, this could be the starting point of a long, and possibly painful healing process. Out of anybody, her teammates were the ones that would've accepted her selfishness in the interest of letting her heal and become better.

"I. . . I know I don't deserve it. But I'll do my best."

 _I'll do my best. So please. Help me._ With these final thoughts, May sunk to the floor and fell asleep. Not feeling better, but with clearer thoughts on what her future should, _would,_ hold.


	9. Recover and Reorganize

**Here comes chapter 9! With the first episode of RWBY Volume 4 airing today, much of this story will suddenly diverge from canon (but who expected any differently?). I'll continue writing this story the way I planned it; if Volume 4 has any influence on this, it will most likely be small details here and there.**

 **Thanks to everyone who reads, reviews, follows, and favorites! You all keep me going!**

* * *

The coffee shop made for an uncomfortable backdrop to the conversation that was currently taking place. After spending the rest of the night and the better part of the morning apart, Blake and May had decided to meet up and discuss the future of their team exercises in a neutral location. May preferred to keep the location of her apartment private, and it would've been far too small and uncomfortable anyway. Blake felt the need to get out of her room; in the past few days, far too many tears had been shed there, in her opinion.

The neutral ground took the form of a roomy, out-of-the-way coffee shop that had, at one point, provided a certain Velvet Scarlatina with part-time work. Although she and her team were absent for the time being, Blake had learned about the coffee shop from her conversations with Velvet back at Beacon. Currently manned by her parents, Blake hadn't taken the time to introduce herself, preferring to remain carefully anonymous. Although she hadn't met Velvet's parents before, she would've allowed herself to trust them had the situation been different. As it were, the last thing she needed was to establish a connection that could spread word of her whereabouts to others. Velvet's parents were kind rabbit Faunus like their daughter, but Blake preferred to mitigate any risks.

Blake and May had ordered quickly and without ceremony, doing nothing whatsoever to arouse suspicions that they might be anybody other than ordinary customers. Choosing a seat far away from the till and out of earshot from the rest of the shop, the two settled into a secluded window booth across from each other. May kept her hands wrapped tightly around her hot chocolate, taking comfort in the warmth. The pair prepared themselves silently for the conversation that needed to be had.

May spoke first. "Blake. I think. . . I get it. I think I understand where you're coming from." Blake gripped her tea tighter in slight surprise. She had not prepared for the conversation thinking she would be agreed with, but then again, those who anticipate arguments never do. May looked away, her gaze settling on nothing in particular through the window. "And. . . I'm willing to try it." Blake found herself slightly confused.

"I'm sorry, try what exactly?" May sighed in exasperation, but smiled ever so slightly.

"I think it's a good choice to only focus on the leaders. Sure, the rest of them may also be criminals, and I can't imagine many of them are totally innocent, but you do have a point. The healthiest way to deal with it, in regards to me personally, is to. . . slow down." Her words were accompanied by a guilty glance into her hot chocolate. "As much as I hate to admit it, you were partly- well, _very_ right about me. I'm not sure how you knew, but I do feel like I've been breaking slowly since the fall." She rushed to get words out now, intent on revealing her thoughts. She had already started, what would be the point in stopping? "I may not agree with you completely on the subject, but I can see where you're coming from."

She looked up. Blake wore a hesitant look on her face, as if she were unsure of what exactly to expect. "I'll wrap this up. What I'm trying to say is, I'm willing to try it. I'm willing to do things your way, or at least, I want to _try_ to do things your way."

Blake looked down at her tea in guilt now. May brought her attention back with her next sentence. "But, I'm only going to do it on one condition." Alarm filled Blake's eyes. "I know things are stressful, and I know we're both dealing with our own. . . issues. But if we're going to keep working together, we need to start acting like an actual team. That means no more saying things just to get a reaction, no more hurtful words and jabs at our pasts. We're adults, let's handle our problems like adults. If there are things we disagree on, let's talk it out in a civilized manner, instead of blowing up and otherwise treating each other like dirt."

"I get that you were trying to make a point last night, and you did," she continued. "But some of the stuff you said was completely uncalled for. Let's not do shit like that anymore. We cool?" Her tone was friendly, but held a demanding edge. Blake nodded her assent. May's anger was completely justified.

"I think I owe you an apology as well," Blake admitted. "I shouldn't have gone as far as I did just to make my point. Like you said, we should've talked it out like adults, and it was my fault for walking in with guns blazing." _A surprisingly apt metaphor._ "I'm sorry for being so cruel to you, May."

May let out a small giggle. "Thanks. And to be fair, I probably wouldn't have listened to you anyway, I'm not a fan of uncomfortable conversations. But, I appreciate the apology." she took a sip from her now lukewarm chocolate. "And if it makes you feel any better, I forgive you. I was never actually angry at you, that's just how it all manifested, I suppose. That's no excuse, but. . . " she shrugged. "I imagine you can relate." The two shared a bittersweet look. They had reconciled, but both recognized the sad reality of the sudden turn their lives had taken three months ago.

Instead of dwelling on the negative feelings though, May took the opportunity to quiz Blake on various topics to get to know her better. They talked for the better part of an hour, their conversation suddenly becoming tame and natural to what one would expect in a small coffee shop at noon. Blake gave short answers to May's questions, saved from echoing each one because May would include her answer when she asked a question. Although they didn't learn anything of notable importance, the low-pressure questioning allowed them to learn the basics about one another. It was the first in a long series of team-building exercises that would need to take place, but by the time they finished their drinks had gotten cold, forgotten amidst the good mood.

May stood first, grabbing their cups in preparation to leave. A light breeze greeted them as they walked outside. Though it was just after noon, the lack of sun made them thankful of their jackets. Winter was approaching Vale, and the air was getting cooler each day. The first snowfall would likely be coming soon, autumn was slowly drawing its curtains closed to give way to the cold.

May broke the contemplation. "Could we go back to From Dust Till Dawn? I need to buy some more ammo." Blake looked at her in horror. "The nonlethal kind," she quickly corrected.

"Hah. Okay, you had me worried there for a second." May merely smiled in response; the smile did not reach her eyes.

* * *

"I didn't get too much information yesterday, but what I managed to overhear was pretty interesting. Tell me what you think." As they walked, Blake handed her scroll and a pair of earbuds to May, playing the sound recording. May listened silently, carefully taking in every word. After a couple minutes of watching the screen, May handed the scroll back.

"There's lots of stuff here, but from what I gathered most of it seems to be smaller than what we're looking for. Mostly small-scale heists and robberies." She paused, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. "What was that map at the beginning? That seems like it could've been important, the rest of the slides were just images and words."

"I'm glad you caught that. I didn't mention it until now because I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything in the slides that followed. Right before I started the recording, the speaker mentioned something about some top operatives meeting at a place called 'Carmine's.' He also mentioned a ' _he_ ' that would be very unhappy if the members were late."

"Oh wow, that's excellent! That certainly sounds like some sort of leader talk. Finally a lead!"

"Do you know the place?"

"No, but we could probably figure out what it is, right? We've got a name, and he did mention that something was in the Upper Class District right at the beginning." She took the scroll from Blake again, starting the video from the beginning. Zooming in, she showed Blake where the speaker had been pointing on the map. "Do you think this is the 'Carmine's' he was referring to? That's pretty close to the border of Forever Fall and the Commercial District, right?" Blake took her scroll back, squinting at the pixelated screen, zooming out to get a better sense of the image. The projector screen had been a small distance away, and the room was filled with heavily contrasting light and dark sections.

"That's what it looks like. Ahh, I wish I could afford one of the newer scroll models with better video capabilities. It would've really cut down on the searching time."

"Ha, you're telling me. But it seems like we're pretty close already. We could probably look it up in a Vale directory, and if that doesn't work, we can take a trip to the area to check it out. Worst case scenario, we start asking around." She noticed Blake's look. "Stealthily, of course. We don't want them knowing we're coming."

"I suppose it could work," she admitted. "Also, where are we going?"

"Oh, I figured we wanted to go to an information kiosk, right? I saw a bunch of them around town when I was first visiting from Vacuo. They're lifesavers. After that we can go to From Dust Till Dawn."

"Good, because I was just following you." The two shared a short laugh, huddling their jackets closer to shelter from another cool breeze.

The search for an information kiosk took them into the Commercial District. The district was filled with markets and strip malls so information kiosks were much more common, due it being a hotspot for foreign travellers. When they finally found one, May left Blake behind while she asked about Carmine's. May made a little small talk with the female receptionist. "Hi, excuse me. I'm not from around here," she said with a smile, glancing around at the tall buildings as if she found them interesting. "I was hoping you could help me with some directions?"

"Of course, what is it you're looking for?" Her smile was a little too bright to be authentic, plastered on her face like a mask. May made sure not to let herself stare.

"I was told by one of my friends about an establishment named 'Carmine's,' have you heard of it?"

"Well, I can't be sure. Do you know what kind of establishment it is, ma'am?" May resisted the urge to cringe. _I'm a 'miss,' please and thank you._ She instead put on a look of worry.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, my friend never elaborated. But he did mention that it was near Forever Fall."

"Oh!" The receptionist exclaimed with enough force to make May flinch. "That helps so much!" May leaned back to create distance as the receptionist leaned forward. Too close. "I'll check it out, be right back sweetie!"

"Uh, sure, thanks." _So now I'm a 'sweetie?' I'm not that young. . ."_ She turned her head and noticed Blake watching from a small coffee table a short distance away. "What the hell?" she mouthed. Blake merely shrugged. The receptionist returned after a short time, spreading a pamphlet on the counter to reveal a map. She folded over a section, revealing the commercial district.

"Alright miss-" May fistpumped in victory underneath the counter. _Finally._ "-what you're looking for is a bar and club combo called 'Carmine's.' Like you said, it's right on the border, here." She indicated an area and circled it on the map. "They're open twenty-four-seven, and are apparently known for their high quality spirits, and I quote here, "jazzy beats"." She looked May up and down, who shifted nervously in response. "You. . . _are_ old enough to drink, right? This establishment doesn't cater to minors."

"Yes, thank you," she responded quickly, taking the map. "And thanks for the help, I appreciate it!"

"Of course dearie, have a nice day!" May's shoulders slumped in defeat. _Some consistency at least would've been nice. . ._

Blake and May reconvened at a small table with an excellent view of the hustle and bustle of the Commercial District. Displayed in front of them was May's map, an item the two currently pondered over. "The receptionist said that 'Carmine's' is actually a bar and club combo, right about here," May said, pointing to the corresponding location on the map. "I suppose that means we don't really need to go looking, so that's lucky. I thought we might have to ask around for a while." When she noticed Blake's silence, she grew inquisitive. "Blake? Blaaaaaake, yo." She waved a hand in front of the girl's face, startling her.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"You kinda zoned out there. What's up?"

Blake's eyebrows knit together in a frown. "For some reason the name rings a bell, but I can't remember if I've heard of it before. . . Why is that name familiar?" she said to herself. "I feel like Carmine is a name I should know." She repeated it a few times under her breath while May waited patiently. Blake soon gave up, shrugging. "I'll keep thinking about it." May began to worry at her lapse in memory.

"Sure, but if you remember anything. . ."

"I'll let you know," Blake finished her sentence. "That being said, we should probably be extra careful anyway. If the top operatives and maybe even the leader are going to be there, we'll need to be over prepared. The White Fang may not be as tactically or technologically advanced as forces like the Atlas Military, but they're twice as vicious and even more bloodthirsty. And if Carmine's is their preferred meeting place, we need to check it out before their meeting." May nodded in agreement, chiming in.

"If it's like any of the clubs in Vacuo that I've been to, the music is going to be loud enough to prevent anybody from being overheard. Do you think they might be getting a private room or something?"

Blake shook her head. "There's no way to know. We just need to get in there and figure out a plan beforehand. Today is Monday, right?" May nodded again. "That gives us until Friday night."

"Why Friday?" she interjected. "Did you hear anything about that?" Blake merely offered a wry smile in return.

"Perks of being a former member: I know how the White Fang operates. Most members can't make ends meet on White Fang paychecks alone, so many of them have daytime jobs. Because of that, the White Fang usually holds meetings over the weekends so as not to interfere with work schedules. Also, the weekend means much more traffic in clubs and on the streets, which will make it easy for White Fang members to blend and keep from arousing suspicion. So, it's either Friday or Saturday."

"Okay, but is it Friday or Saturday?"

"I'd guess Friday, but. . ." She pulled out her scroll and played the video on it once again. As they feared, there wasn't any mention of a specific date. Apparently, those who needed to attend the meeting were expected to know when to show up. "I suppose we'll just have to prepare for either day. But, let's make an assumption that it'll be Friday. That's the earliest day they'll appear, and we need to be prepared for that, at least." May put on a thoughtful expression.

"That sounds good. What do these meetings usually consist of anyway? A bunch of shady dudes, gathering in a room to plot the destruction of mankind?" She winked, but Blake's lack of reaction told her that she had misconstrued it for a regular blink. Having one eye was inconvenient for a whole gamut of reasons, including the inability to wink casually. As it were, Blake laughed before responding.

"That's actually not too far from the truth. Although," she chuckled again, "there are usually a couple women in the mix. The White Fang takes any kind of talent it can get." Her expression regressed to seriousness. "It's hard enough work, and replacements are always necessary for those that fall or are imprisoned."

May sighed; she had hoped to keep the mood lighter for the rest of the day. "Well, let's start planning. What do we need to do to prepare?"

The time flew by as the two planned for the week. People came and went, empty coffee and tea cups began gathering on one side of their table. Over the next three hours, Blake and May focused exclusively on Carmine's, doing their best with the small amount of information they had to create the beginnings of a plan. Eventually, they decided that the best way to scout out the area would be to actually to just visit as dance guests. Blake wasn't fond of the idea but figured it would allow them to scout out the area effectively without arousing suspicion.

After getting a feel for the club and its surroundings, they would be able to better formulate a plan more appropriate for the situation. Luckily, they would have plenty of time on their side. Blake was confident that when the White Fang appeared, she would be able to distinguish them from the other dancers. "They're not too hard to find, if you know what you're looking for," she said.

Since they hadn't visited yet, they couldn't begin to think of possible escape routes and contingency plans. May also couldn't be sure just by looking at the map if there would be a good sniping spot nearby, or if she would have to go inside. She disliked the idea, because any establishment that sold alcohol would no doubt have security to prevent entrance to those possessing large weapons. Blake, on the other hand, would probably be able to sneak in Gambol Shroud if she were careful.

After they felt like they had exhausted what information they had, the two leaned back, fatigue evident on their faces. "Oohh man," May groaned, pulling her beanie down to cover her eye, relishing the darkness. "My head feels like it's going to explode."

"I concur. But, we _did_ get a lot done, it's only been, what, seven or so hours since we met this morning?"

"Heh, I suppose. But I'm ready to call it. You?"

"Yeah, let's call it a day."

* * *

Before boarding a nearby train to return to their respective homes, Blake and May stopped by From Dust Till Dawn once again. Luckily, buying nonlethal ammunition for Lilac wasn't too tough on the wallet, all it took was buying dust rounds with lower percentages of dust purity. Because she normally shot with nearly completely pure cartridges, lowering the intensity of each shot not only would lower the bullet's speed, but also have the added benefit of making each shot cheaper. In fact, if May wanted to buy specialized elemental dust cartridges at lower purity, the Lien amount would be about the same for regular pure dust cartridges.

Thanks to the lower prices, May was able to buy a generous amount of regular dust ammunition. If worse came to worst, she supposed she could manually empty some dust from the pure cartridges she had back at her dorm, but she still wasn't entirely comfortable creating her own ammo. Dust, after all, was quite a volatile material, especially when in its purest form.

At the checkout, she begrudgingly handed over the last of her Lien. With only a few Lien left to her name, she knew she'd be running into a problem. The problem came sooner than she expected.

Once they boarded the train, she was reminded of the date when she checked the time on her scroll. Thanks to the month rolling over a couple days prior, she had effectively defaulted on the payment for her room. Rent was normally paid at the beginning of the month; the landlady had shown her exceptional generosity in allowing it to be paid at the end. Normally rent obligations would be more lax, but considering the hard times since the fall of Beacon, May could understand the situation.

However, her understanding did little to change the fact that she would have roughly five days before her eviction. Her landlady wasn't likely to show sympathy just because she was still the age of a student, and May disliked the idea of playing the victim card to gain pity and free lodgings. It felt especially wrong to her because she didn't even have a job, and she wasn't trying to search for one either. Revenge was her full-time employment, and she considered herself married to her work.

Rather than risk being kicked out with force, May had resolved herself to leaving early so as not to cause trouble or give the event some sort of ceremony. Besides, there was no point in delaying the inevitable. May was one of the few "fortunate" enough to be able to travel with all her belongings at once; leaving was no big issue. The sooner she left, the more time she'd have to find a new place to stay. If the warmer months were around the corner, she would've contented herself with sleeping under the stars, a pastime she often indulged in back at Shade Academy. However, Vale didn't have Vacuo's warm winters, a fact that was becoming increasingly apparent.

She didn't have many options, and May was beginning to feel the pressure. All these thoughts ran through her head while she and Blake rode the train toward the point in the tracks where their paths would split and they would go their separate ways. May sat up suddenly, straightening. _Do we. . . have to split up?_ She and Blake had at first relied on tentative vows of teamwork to get the job done, but May felt as though she understood her much better now. Blake was, after all, willing to plan a second and even more missions with her, and she was helping May in her own certain way. Sure, she had been harsh and cruel the night before, but May thought that was because she didn't know how else to convey her emotions in the heat of the moment. Perhaps Blake would be willing to help her out in her housing situation as well. . . _Better act fast,_ she thought to herself. The train ride would soon be over if she didn't.

"Hey Blake, remember how you said you'd help me out?" Blake looked up from her book with an inquisitive look in her eyes.

"Yes, why?

"How far exactly would you go to help me?" The question gave Blake pause, she closed her book after dog-earing the corner.

"I'm willing to help you as much as you need, May. Why do you ask?" Her eyes showed genuine concern. May wasn't sure how unconditional Blake's support really was, but was willing to take her at face value.

"I ended up using the last of my Lien on the nonlethal ammo. I think I can only afford food for a couple more days." She chuckled wryly, trying to hide her nervousness. May did not consider herself the begging type, and the last thing she wanted was to be treated like a charity case. "And I sure as hell don't have enough for rent anymore." She leaned forward, looking at the dirty train floor with a sigh. "How averse would you be to the idea of me. . ." _Oh christ, I can't do this._

"Do you need a place to stay?" The words startled May, who looked up and caught Blake's faint smile. "You can share my room with me, if that's what you're asking."

"A-are you sure that would be okay?" she stuttered. "I'll keep it clean and sleep on the floor, and-"

"Relax," Blake interrupted. "It's not a big deal. Besides, it would make working together much easier and more convenient." While the words were true, May couldn't help but feel Blake had only said them to make her feel less needy. She appreciated that.

"Thank you so much," she said, sincerity shown on her face. "To be honest, I was beginning to worry about the cold."

"Oh, you're from Vacuo, right? You've probably never seen snow, have you?"

"Nope." She smiled. "But my teammate Roy always talked about . . . about wanting to see it." she finished quietly. A lump grew in her throat and her eye threatened to tear up. "Sorry," she took a deep breath. "I. . . didn't mean to go there." Blake reached a hand across the aisle and rested it on her knee to comfort her.

"Don't apologize." She kept her hand on May's knee for a moment before squeezing and letting go. "We probably need to go to your place to grab your stuff, right?" May jumped at the opportunity for a subject change.

"Yep, thanks again for the help."

When May's stop arrived, she and Blake exited the train. Blake looked confusedly at her, noticing that they had gotten off at a different station than the last time May went home. "I got off one station later than usual last time, I'm kinda paranoid about people knowing where I live," May explained. Blake seemed satisfied by the answer, if not a little sad. May's paranoia was just another reminder of the cruel circumstances that led the two to meet.

When they arrived, Blake gasped at the small size of her apartment. Compared to Blake, May had spared every expense possible, saving any extra Lien for food and supplies. She immediately grabbed the picture frame containing the photo of her team and stowed it safely in her jacket. She couldn't be sure, but she had done her best to keep it hidden from Blake. While she wasn't sure why, she felt the need to keep that part of her life private.

Blake didn't comment, instead offering to grab her sleeping bag from the floor. Her eyes lingered on the hardwood underneath, no doubt again surprised by the meager existence May had eked out. The packing was finished nearly immediately, Lilac had been left in Blake's room; all May needed to bring was her sleeping bag, her few spare clothes, and the photo. She nodded to Blake, taking in her room one final time. "Let's go." She wasn't sure whether or not she wanted to look back before she closed the door, waiting for a moment. She turned and closed the door, cutting off her view to the room that she was finally leaving. _Thanks,_ she said in her mind.

The floor of Blake's apartment provided May with an excellent amount of real estate, more than twice the amount of her previous room. She dropped her belongings on the floor with little care, she could organize them in the morning. The photo she put in her backpack, not comfortable with the idea of leaving it out in plain sight.

The two cleaned themselves up for the night, Blake taking a hot shower while May changed into her pajamas. Blake emerged from the bathroom while May spread out her sleeping bag. She stared unhappily at the hard floor, not looking forward to yet another night sleeping with only her sleeping bag providing protection against the unyielding surface. Blake eyed the sleeping bag for a moment, then her bed.

"May, there's enough room on the bed for two of us. Why don't you bring your sleeping bag up there? It'll be far more comfortable." May declined as politely as possible, already embarrassed enough at needing to move in to Blake's room. The two of them bedded down shortly thereafter in the darkness. After a couple minutes of shifting uncomfortably on the unnaturally cold floor, May spoke.

"Umm, Blake? Is it too late to take your offer? I. . . haven't slept on a real bed in months." She thought she heard a small chuckle in reply as Blake shifted to make room.

"No problem, come on up." May tentatively lay down, making sure she wasn't touching Blake. The bed was small but she was more than happy to be on the very edge; her back was already thanking her for the rescue from the floor, and she was just thankful to not sleep on the ground. Sleep took her quickly, the darkness and silence of the room making a peaceful environment in which she felt, for the first time, somewhat safe.


	10. Dance in the Rosy Hall

**Wow! 50 followers! Thank you so much to everyone who reads, reviews, follows, and favorites! We haven't seen anything too crazy happen yet, but I'll just say that I am very excited for where this story is going.**

* * *

May woke up feeling better and more well-rested than she had in months. Whether or not the comfortable bed was the reason for her lack of nightmares she didn't know, but she wasn't one to question good fortune. She stretched contentedly, accidentally stirring Blake's arm which had been near her head. Freezing in place for a couple seconds, she let herself breathe when Blake didn't move.

She sat up slowly, recoiling when her feet touched the cold floor. Standing, she stretched again as her sleeping bag pooled around her ankles. Leaving the fabric behind, for the cold tiles of the bathroom, May made use of Blake's shower, turning the water to its hottest setting. Steam billowed through the open window, the nip of the cold air against her skin creating a pleasurable feeling in contrast with the hot water. She found herself more awake than she had been in a long time, for once satisfied with her length and quality of sleep.

Once she had toweled herself off and replaced the beanie over her left eye, she returned to the main room to change clothes and was greeted by a now awake Blake, who rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. May was glad she had awoken first, not because she didn't trust Blake, but to save herself the added embarrassment of being seen sleeping fitfully on a borrowed bed in a borrowed house. "Good morning," Blake greeted.

"Morning!" May responded. Blake got up and made her way to the bathroom. "I slept really well. Thanks again for letting me share your bed." _That sounded weird, oops._ Blake gave her a strange look that caused her to look away. _Damn, I made it weird._ However, Blake's look wasn't for the reason she had expected.

"Glad you liked it. Also, I'm going to jump in the shower, but I'll need that towel eventually." She gestured at the towel wrapped around May. "It's the only one."

She barely stopped herself from removing it completely before catching herself in time. "Oh! Yeah, I'll put it back in once I change, sorry." If Blake had noticed her movement she made no comment, instead entering the bathroom. The sound of running water once again filled the small space. May changed, opting to wear a jacket that was greyer and much less flashy than her usual red and white one.

While Blake showered, May organized her things on one edge of the room so they would be mostly out of the way. She put her rifle cartridges into two distinct piles, one for high-powered ammo and one for less lethal. She laid out her clothing, folding each article into a small, neat square, piling them on top of one another. Lilac was retrieved from one wall and leant against the new one, empty and full magazines lined up meticulously beside it. May was not an organized person at heart, but preferred to keep up at least a somewhat clean appearance when she was around others. Her team had gotten used to it, and since she was a guest in Blake's room, she felt the need to keep her belongings neatly collected and out of the way.

Shortly after May had replaced the towel in the bathroom and changed, Blake emerged surrounded by a curtain of steam. Quickly checking the ceiling, May breathed a sigh of relief to see that there were no smoke detectors in the room. Blake dressed herself on the other side of the room with her back turned, apparently not caring that she was in full view of May. The sniper made to turn her back to Blake when the latter shed her towel. As she turned away, she glimpsed a scar on Blake's lower back to the left, thin and about two inches long. It was as if she had been run through with a sword. Although healed, the scar was still relatively pink, having healed somewhat recently. Jagged and unprofessional stitch markings dotted the sides. _Maybe she got it during the attack on Beacon. . ._ May shook her head, reminding herself that it was rude to invade Blake's privacy both by staring at her now half-clothed form, and trying to get a longer glimpse of the injury.

A now dressed Blake cleared her throat to get May's attention. "We should get breakfast first, and then we can think about checking out the club. How does that sound?"

"Good," May hurriedly agreed. Her stomach had growled in protest at Blake's mention of food. Gathering their supplies the two left for the day, Blake carefully locking the door behind them. They caught the first train to the Commercial District that arrived, managing to find a compartment that wasn't too crowded with citizens heading to work. May and Blake were not spared any glances by the busy folk whose minds were undoubtedly on other, more important matters.

The pair stopped by a bagel stand once they disembarked, each ordering the relatively cheap toasted slices. Blake's was covered in cream and anchovies, a fact that did not escape Mays attention. May gave Blake's bagel and then the girl a sly look, which then turned into a look of disgust when she realized how gross cream and anchovies must taste together. Blake merely rolled her eyes at May's look of horror. She held out what was left of her bagel, having eaten it incredibly fast. "Want a bite?" May merely gagged in response, taking a large bite from her chocolate covered bagel instead.

"No way," she said, her voice muffled by the chocolate treat. "I'll just stick to my stuff, thank you." After eating, the two began walking in the direction of Carmine's. Unfortunately, the map May had grabbed was a very general map, containing all of Vale and all the areas in its immediate surrounding. Barring important locations like Beacon, the town hall, and Schnee Spire, the map didn't even have the names of many of the smaller roads, much less individual buildings. The best they could do was approximate the location based on the border of Forever Fall and the two districts.

Although they had an idea of the general area, the club proved somewhat difficult to find. They kept their eyes open for large neon lettering or other telltale signs, but their search turned up empty. Blake strained her carefully concealed ears in an attempt to hear any loud music, but likewise the search proved to be futile. After walking up and down the nearby streets, the two decided to start asking around.

"I suppose it was a strange idea to look for a nightclub during the day," May eventually commented. "It's not like people would go to it during the day. Hell, it's probably not even open." Blake could only sigh dejectedly in response. May began asking passersby about Carmine's, making sure those she asked were younger and therefore more inclined to be the type of clientele to visit clubs. She was met with polite apologies until she asked a Faunus couple walking down the street.

"Hello! I'm sorry to bother you, but could the two of you perhaps help me find a location?" The couple looked surprised, but seemed to relax after a moment. The man answered, his whiskers twitching with each movement of his face.

"Yeah, sure. What'cha lookin' for?"

"Heard of a place called Carmine's? I want to visit it this weekend." She smiled at the immediate interest the couple showed.

"Oh yeah, that jazzy dance club? We go there once a month. You're actually really close. See that street there?" he pointed to a street that crossed their road two blocks away. "Take that street left, and it'll be on the left side. It's hard to find unless you know what you're looking for. It doesn't stand out, but nearly that whole block is Carmine's. Big place."

"Ah, thank you so much. That's incredibly helpful." A small silence enveloped the group as the Faunus couple looked her over. The man leaned in, speaking in a more hushed tone.

"Look miss, I don't want to assume anything, but I figured you should know. The usual people that go to Carmine's are good people, but they're almost all Faunus. I can't tell if you're one of us, but I thought I'd let you know. If Humans go there, they're usually in the company of their friends."

Blake stepped in, twitching her cat ears deliberately as she put a hand on May's shoulder in support. "No worries there, then." The man leaned back, catching the movement with a smile.

"Gotcha, I meant no offense."

"None taken," Blake smiled. "And thanks for letting us know. We appreciate it." They parted with a nod, May leading the way in the direction of Carmine's.

"That was lucky," May said. "Can Faunus really not tell each other from Humans?"

"Well, not necessarily," Blake replied. "Besides the obvious Faunus traits, we really aren't that different from Humans. There are some that have very strong senses of smell, but that's a more rare trait than things such as good hearing. We all have perfect night vision too. Depending on how our animal traits manifest, some of us can hide much better than others." Her tone took on a dark quality. "If we need to, that is." May quickly moved to her next question, sensing Blake's anger.

"And what about me? Could you tell I'm not a Faunus?" Blake carefully looked her up and down.

"If I didn't already know you weren't, you could've fooled me. Your trait could be something like scales on your upper-body, or something else equally unseeable. However, it would've probably become clear in your speech patterns. Compared to Humans, Faunus often make the careful distinction between race when speaking, while Humans tend to be less inclusive or simply less aware. If what that person said was true, you'll want to be careful while we're in Carmine's. I don't think there would be any problems if they knew you were a Human, but it's easiest for everyone if we just keep that. . . hidden."

"It would just draw attention," May concluded. "Okay, so. . . what kind of Faunus should I pretend to be? Oh, sorry, was that rude?" _I have no idea what I can and can't ask. . ._ Blake merely chuckled.

"I'll tell you if you say something rude, don't worry. As for your cover story, I suppose that depends. We're visiting a dance club, so what kind of clothing will you be wearing? It'll be harder to pull off a deception if you're scantily clad."

Now it was May's turn to laugh. "No worries there. I'm more the modest type myself, and I don't have the money for more clothing even if I wanted it. And I'm _definitely_ not going in just my sports bra."

"Yeah, although just the bra would match well with your beanie." May froze.

"Wait, when did you? Oh right, you changed my shirt. Perv."

"It was covered in blood and needed to be changed. You should thank me," Blake quickly shot back, a little too defensively. May smirked.

"I dunno, you sound pretty guilty," she teased. Blake opened her mouth but then promptly closed it, apparently losing track of what she was going to say.

"Let's just go," she muttered under her breath. They moved on, but the slight smile on Blake's face did not go unnoticed.

Carmine's was indeed hard to find, located neatly in one of the buildings May and Blake had passed at least once. The windows had been blacked out, and the exterior of the building looked like any ordinary large commercial structure. Carmine's was not a club that made money with flashy advertising, it seemed. Even knowing where it was, it took the two of them another couple minutes to locate the entrance. Because the club took up multiple shops that had formerly been individual areas, there were many doors that were permanently closed and neatly boarded up. A nondescript doorway near the edge of the block seemed to be the correct one, the name imprinted upon it with faded red letters. From the outside, it looked more like the entrance to a seedy bar.

They ran into a problem when they realized that Carmine's only opened after seven in the evening. It made sense, but that gave the two of them a couple hours to burn. Blake suggested they walk around the exterior to see what kind of potential escape routes could be available if escaping from the club became necessary. Unfortunately, due to the few amount of windows and not knowing which entrances were operational, they weren't able to come to any conclusions.

May scanned the buildings around them as they walked, wondering if she could find a suitable sniping position. Since they were on the outskirts of the Commercial District, each building was relatively short and wouldn't provide any amazing sniping spots. Just as well too, because even is she found one she wouldn't be able to see into the club. Although she didn't like it, she had earlier prepared herself to enter the club and look around from inside, already assuming sniping wouldn't be an option. _It's too bad I was right though._ Unable to glean any useful information from outside, the two decided to take a break and get some dinner.

They found a small diner nestled against the bottom of the cliffs. The roof of the diner was covered in scarlet leaves that had blown from fallen all the way from Forever Fall, high above. Thanks to its Westward facing windows, the diner only became more well-lit as the time progressed and the sun got ever closer to the horizon. May and Blake ate without hurry, both of them enjoying the mutual silence and food. While Blake had first scoffed at the absence of fish on the menu, she was placated with her order of hot chocolate with extra cream.

An hour or so later, when the alarm Blake had set went off, she moved to stand up. May grabbed her wrist and shook her head. "We shouldn't go right when it opens, that would make us much more noticeable. Nobody goes to clubs before sunset anyway." She indicated the window, through which the sun could still be seen. "We've got a little bit of time, let's wait for a crowd to gather in there." Blake sat down, but looked anxious. "Blake, relax," May chided. "It's better if we wait."

"I know, I just don't like waiting."

"Tell ya what. I'll buy you another hot chocolate, and we can go once you finish it." She added a stipulation once she saw Blake's eager expression. "But you have to drink it slowly. Really _savor_ it. Does that work?" Blake smiled, a little guiltily.

"Okay, but I can pay for it. You don't have any money as it is."

"Good point." When the waitress came by, Blake ordered two cups of hot chocolate, handing May the second when they were brought by shortly after. The Valeian sunset cast long shadows on the cliffs, a sunbeam occasionally striking the falling leaves from Forever Fall to create a dazzling flash of red. Blake finished the last sip of her drink, tipping the cup upward as the sun vanished behind the horizon. Looking to May for confirmation this time, the two stood and left, leaving the bare minimum as a tip.

* * *

May's line of thought had been right, there were many more people now that the sun had set and they had waited longer than Blake wanted. The two stood in line, waiting for their turn to enter the club. Once they entered, a large bouncer with huge bull horns gave them each a quick once-over, making sure they didn't have any backpacks that could carry weapons. He checked their jackets as well, letting them pass when he didn't find anything. Although she the feeling of being unprotected, Blake was thankful she had left Gambol Shroud behind. She'd need to bring it later when it was time to find the meeting place, but had to find out what kind of security Carmine's had before walking in. As it were, she didn't think it would be too difficult to sneak the pistol portion in, as long as she revealed her cat ears. Faunus were immediately placed under lower suspicion than Humans when the bouncers were Faunus themselves.

The interior of the club was loud and noisy, but thankfully hadn't yet started to smell like sweat. Blake flattened her ears at the nearly painful strength of the music, pulling a pair of complementary earbuds out of a bowl situated on a table. The dancers crowded around the center of the dance hall, a large mirror tile floor that refracted the rainbow strobe lights. Heavy bass echoed, shaking the walls, the DJ responsible for the crazy tones stood on a raised platform wearing a cat mask that had been stylized with colors that reminded Blake of clowns.

A tug on her sleeve drew Blake's attention to May, who had apparently shouted something at her. She leaned over to catch May's voice with her ear. "Crazy place!" she shouted above the noise. "We should probably check the place out, keep your scroll handy so I can text you!"

"What?!" Blake shouted back, having lost May's voice amidst the onslaught of noise. May pulled out her scroll and pointed to it. Understanding, Blake nodded, giving a thumbs up. " _Ill text you if I find anything,"_ she mouthed. May flashed a smile before disappearing into the crowd of dancers. _I suppose I should start looking around too,_ Blake told herself.

Being a large club, Carmine's took more than twenty minutes to fully explore. It featured a large amount of dark nooks and crannies; Blake danced awkwardly from area to area trying to look around as much as possible without looking too strange. The venue even had a balcony floor, which wrapped around the entire upper section in a large square. Four of the hallways she visited lead to restrooms, but one in particular caught her eye. On the first floor, it was guarded by two security guards dressed in suits with bored expressions on their faces. She didn't dare approach without a good reason though, deciding to wait for May.

She met May a few minutes later, the latter having sent a text with a location on it. The two walked to one of the bathrooms near the back of the club, counting on its secluded location to keep it empty. In front of the large mirror, they nursed their pained and ringing ears, finally able to talk below a shout. May was the first to speak. "I looked around a bit, I don't think there are too many ways out, probably because they don't want people to sneak in. Most of the doors we saw outside aren't even there on this side, either because the walls were cemented shut or boarded up. However, I did manage to find out something interesting.

"This club encompasses the whole block, but not all of it is dedicated to the dance floor and bar." Blake nodded, she too had noticed the disproportionate size of the venue. "Apparently, there was hotel section on one side of the block, and I guess it's still there and in use."

"Actually, I found a hallway that led to that part of the building, but it was guarded by security. Do you think that's where the White Fang would go? I'd think that using hotel rooms as meeting spaces wouldn't be too hard. And, it's probably quiet enough that they wouldn't be disturbed by the loud music. Also, if any of the rooms are still actual hotel rooms, I could imagine the club renting them out as necessary." May scratched her chin thoughtfully.

"If that's the case, we need to get in there. You said it was guarded?"

"Yep, two guys at the entrance. I don't think we'll be able to sneak in."

"We might not need to. . ." May stared into the mirror.

"What do you mean?"

"I'll let you know if I'm right, let's go check it out."

The two walked back onto the dance floor as the thudding beats subsided, the DJ apparently taking a break. The strobe lights stopped flashing, replacing the lighting with a quiet rosy glow. "Alrighty everyone," whispered a woman close into the microphone on the DJ stand. "We're gonna slow things down for a spell, so enjoy a little peace and quiet before we kick things up another notch!" The crowd cheered and clapped for the woman, whose hair shimmered an unnatural yet beautiful red under the lights. Slower music began playing from the speakers, a jazzy ballad echoing in the dance hall.

"Blake! C'mere." May's voice carried much better now that the music was quiet, Blake had little trouble hearing her.

"Uhh, what?" She reacted instinctively when May grabbed her sleeve, trying to pull away. May held on tightly, following the direction of the pull to close the gap between them, snaking an arm around her shoulder. She let go of Blake's sleeve and grabbed her hand, interlocking their fingers to prevent an escape.

"Blake! It's a slow song, we need to dance so we don't look strange!" She noticed Blake's uncomfortable expression. "Don't make it weird, it's just a dance. Put your hand on my waist." Blake hesitated a little too long, trying to find an excuse to get out of the situation. May grabbed her hand in exasperation, placing it above her hip. "See? I don't bite."

"That's not what I was worried- never mind. What do I do now?"

"Now we sway back and forth to the music. It's supposed to be a romantic coupley thing."

"I know what it's supposed to be, but I haven't really. . . led before. And never in a slow dance."

"That's okay, there's nothing to it. Think of this as like. . . footwork practice. But, most importantly, just have fun, Blake. Let's enjoy this. It's hard enough to find time to relax and let loose a little. We have all night to check out the building."

Blake did her best to take her advice to heart, leading the two of them into slow swaying motions as a saxophone added its mellow tunes to the piano. Unsure of where to look, she nervously glanced around for a moment, before allowing her gaze settle on the locks of May's hair that swayed in front of her beanie-covered eye. May didn't seem to share any of Blake's nervousness; she had her eye closed, lost in the moment.

Blake found herself slowly relaxing in the mood and notes of the ballad, the hard lines of her face slackening. The tenseness with which she normally moved was draining away, pushed farther and farther to the back of her mind as she swayed from side to side. She began leading with more confidence, adding light steps back and forth to their movement. May followed along with her easily, their close proximity allowing the synchronous movements to flow effortlessly from one another.

After a slight lull between phrases, the jazz picked up again, the piano playing a serene melody accompanied by an acoustic bass guitar. May disentangled their intertwined fingers, moving her hands so they were together, her arms resting comfortably around Blake's neck. Blake placed her now free hand on May's other hip, this time with less hesitation. More and more, she felt May had been right. This was something she had needed.

The song continued on, the piano entering a series of airy cadences. Around them, lovestruck couples embraced each other, their foreheads touching, lips close but never quite closing the final few inches. The minimal movement each displayed made the figures look more as if they were hugging, attempting to remove as much distance between them as they could.

May looked up slightly and at Blake's cheekbone, as if she wanted to look into her eyes but somehow lacked the courage. Riveted to the spot, Blake was unable to look away, transfixed by the sanguine look in May's single blue eye. Perhaps it was incorrect to think it was completely calm; how could a singly eye display such a wide range of delicate emotions with such little effort? Her expression wavered, changing like the surface of stirred water, one emotion to the next. Calm, anxious, perhaps there was even a question in her eye, heretofore unanswered. Blake couldn't tell if the redness of May's cheeks was due to the rosy lights, or something else.

She suddenly became very aware of the girl in her arms. How was it that after meeting only days ago, the two could share an intimate dance such as this? Neither of them were the type to revel in proximity; what quality of the slow romantic jazz ballad had changed that about them?

As the song reached its climax, Blake felt the faintest rosy blush tint her cheeks. Her heart beat faster than normal, too frequently to make sense in the low-intensity movements. Her face felt flushed; she tried to calm herself with deep breaths, closing her eyes, hoping May couldn't hear her beating heart. However, that just brought the feeling of holding the girl in her arms to the forefront of her mind. _This music is getting to my head._

The song faded to silence, the hall becoming quiet for what was the first and probably the last time that night. The two separated gently, slightly out of breath despite the slow tempo to which they had shared the dance. Blake shook her head to clear the haze from her mind, drying her sweaty palms on her pants. Although they each wanted to say something, silence reigned as neither of them could find the words that needed to be said. They formally ended the dance with mutual smiles.

May laughed nervously as the more rough and intense music began fading back in. "We should really get into the hotel section, and I think I have an idea."

"What is it?" Blake asked, eager to both change the subject and move forward with their plans.

"In many clubs, clients can pay a little extra to use the rooms for. . . . _personal_ things, if you know what I mean," she said, waggling her eyebrow. Her flushed cheeks combined with the suggestive eyebrow raise distracted Blake from whatever she was getting at, replacing it with slightly more risque thoughts.

"What does-oh! Oh, I see. But how is that going to help us get in?"

May attached a sly grin to her response. "Well, let's use one." Blake, still feeling the rush from the dance, was wholly unsure of how to react. She wasn't sure how she _should_ react either, but she knew that her mind was jumping to conclusions that she didn't want clouding her head. "We can pose as a couple and rent one of the rooms. If we do that, we'll probably have somewhat free reign to walk around and explore the hotel."

"Are you sure that will work?"

"There's only one way to find out, come on!" May hugged Blake's arm to her chest, practically hanging on her as led the way to a reception desk that was situated next to the bar. Much to Blake's relief, May took the lead in explaining the situation to the woman behind it.

"Hey! Me and my sweetie here-" Blake yelped a little as May pinched her side, "- were hoping to find someplace where we could. . . well," she giggled girlishly, "you know." Blake's bashful expression was genuine, but also served the two of them well, as the receptionist immediately understood.

"We rent out hotel rooms for the night, if that's what you're looking for?" May nodded vigorously. "Excellent, that'll be one-hundred Lien. Checkout times and such are posted inside the room." The transaction concluded swiftly and they were handed their receipt. Pointed in the direction of the hallway with the security guards, May reattached herself to Blake's arm.

Luckily, the entered without a hitch. The security guards gestured them through stoically when Blake held up their receipt. They evidently dealt with drunk couples often, as they didn't spare May a second glance. Walking into the hallway, the music faded drastically behind them. The lighting grew and became more normal as they walked, until they arrived in a quite regular hotel lounge featuring a reception desk in the center.

"Welcome, do you have a reservation?" asked the woman behind the desk. Blake once again presented the paper, the woman then pointed them to a staircase on their right. "You'll be in room 224, you'll find it upstairs and on the right. Please enjoy your stay." After being handed the corresponding key, they thanked her and followed the staircase up, May still clinging to Blake until they were out of eyesight from the receptionist. Finding the room, Blake unlocked it and let them in. May immediately collapsed on the single large bed in the center.

"Oooh man, I'm already exhausted. I can feel my ears ringing." Blake sat on the edge of the bed, removing her bow to stretch her cat ears with her fingers.

"My head hurts. Ouch." Thanks to what Blake assumed was soundproof walling, the beats from the dance hall didn't reach them. They enjoyed the quiet for a couple moments before May got up and poured herself a glass of water from the pitcher on the end table.

"Okay, so this is a legitimate hotel," May said in between sips. "We should be able to check out the rest of the place pretty easily; I guess once you've paid and proven you don't have weapons, they don't really feel the need for security."

"Yeah, but I could use a couple more minutes of relaxation before we look around. My head is pounding." While the earphones had helped, the loud music had taken its toll, Blake was feeling the beginnings of a headache. May handed her the cup of water which she gratefully drank. The ringing in her ears subsided over the next few minutes, replaced by a fuzzy feeling that would last for multiple hours, giving sounds a slightly muffled quality.

They began searching the hotel but didn't end up finding anything out of the ordinary. Much like a normal building of its type, the rooms were arranged in rows down hallways, the most expensive ones on the third floor. Judging by the distance between doors, the third floor rooms were suites. Unfortunately, the doors were tightly locked, preventing them from confirming their suspicions. At the end of their exploration, they were merely able to assume that if the White Fang were indeed using the rooms as a meeting place, they would likely take a suite so they could comfortably fit their group within.

"Perhaps we should reserve a room both for Thursday and Friday night," May mused. "It would make sneaking in our weapons easier, especially if we can enter through the front door of the hotel, not through the club entrance."

"There's a front door?" _Ah, it makes sense that she saw it. Hanging from my arm must've given her a good excuse to look around._

"Yeah, I saw it while we were talking to the receptionist. I bet customers can come in through that door and then pay for access to the club."

"That would make it easy to sneak in weapons, if they're small. . . So we'll reserve the room for Thursday and Friday? We can set up Thursday, and then have a convenient location for Friday."

"That sounds good to me. I'm sorry I can't help pay," May looked at the floor guiltily. Blake waved off the apology.

"Don't worry about it."

When they left, the receptionist greeted them professionally, obviously used to seeing couples from the club rent out rooms and use them for only short amounts of time. "I hope you had a good stay."

"Oh we _did_ ," purred May, laying the salacious tone on thickly. "And we were hoping to rent a room for Thursday and Friday night as well, is that possible?" The receptionist confirmed their stay, accepting payment from Blake while May talked to her. "Are there any penthouse suites available here?" The receptionist perked up at the question.

"Yes, there certainly are! There are two small luxury rooms, and also a large luxury suite. But, I'm afraid they are all reserved for Friday night, I'm sorry," she said with her face falling.

"Wow, what kind of rich person do you have to be to pay for the luxury suite?" To Blake it was an obvious question, but May made it sound like an innocuous remark, a comment on the implied wealth of those who used the suites. The receptionist must've assumed it was a slightly intoxicated and open-ended ramble, because she replied happily.

"Oh yes, they are quite expensive. But, when hosting. . . certain groups of people, the luxury suite is a choice that they never regret." Blake kept her face stoic, refusing to let it move at the potentially valuable information. The receptionist had paused, and Blake was fairly certain she had been about to say 'the White Fang.'

The two wrapped up their reservation plans and checked out for the current night. Using the door directly from the hotel, they stepped outside into the cold twilight; May pumped her fist once the door closed behind them. "'Certain groups' probably means the White Fang, don't you think?"

"It certainly sounded that way," Blake said, a smile rising on her face. So far, their planning had seemed to have paid off. They knew a potential spot for the White Fang meeting, all the way down to a possible room. "I'd say today has been quite successful, if it weren't for this headache that's coming on. It's only getting worse."

"You're telling me," May groaned. "Although, I can imagine you have it even worse thanks to your cat ears."

"It's not great," she sighed exhaustively. "What do you say we call it a night? I'm about ready to pass out."

"I could definitely use the sleep. Lilac might be too big to sneak in, but I'm sure we can sneak in your weapon when we return."

* * *

Back in Blake's room, the two prepared for sleep tiredly, Carmine's having taken all their energy and leaving barely enough to spare. May stood in front of the bed, an unspoken question on her lips. Blake answered it by lying down on what was now her side of the bed, patting the opposite side. May smiled gratefully, crawling into her sleeping bag while making sure to leave plenty of room.

Blake stirred for a moment before becoming comfortable. "Sleep well."

"You too, goodnight." A minute or so passed when May uttered a final sentence before sleep took them. "Thanks for the dance, Blake."

Blake only managed to think her response before falling asleep. _Thank you._


	11. Final Preparations

**Thanks to everybody who reads, reviews, likes, and favorites! I hope you enjoy chapter 11, things are only going to get more exciting from here on!**

* * *

Thursday morning repeated itself much like the previous two. May woke up first, showered, then traded Blake the bathroom while she dried herself and put on clothing. Like before, Blake opened the bathroom door to let out a great billow of steam, this time changing into clothing while still out of her view. After preparing the items they wanted to sneak into the hotel room, they left with the intent of getting breakfast.

Within the time it took to get ready, they decided that it would be easiest to sneak Gambol Shroud in when they went there to check in. The conversation began when May sighed sadly while looking at her rifle. "I think Lilac is going to be way too big to sneak in. Do you think she could even come in handy?" The question made Blake pause.

"Well, I suppose that depends on how we want to plan this. We know how to find the meeting, hopefully, but what should we do when we get to them?" Although they had a good way to get in and would plan for multiple ways to escape, Blake and May hadn't thought the actual logistics of the plan out in full.

"Well, above all else, we don't want to get seen," May began. "So whatever we do, we should make sure that doesn't happen. We also don't know if the leader is going to be there, and who the bastard even is. Basically, we're walking in with just enough information to know we aren't blind."

"Right," Blake agreed. "The membership of the White Fang changes frequently, what with arrests and the like. We probably won't know who the leader is unless we get close, which would be needlessly dangerous. No matter how experienced we are, a group of high-ranking White Fang officials would still be able to kill us. . ." What she didn't mention was the possibility of Adam being there. Deep down, she hoped he wouldn't show up, even though her primary goal was to find him and tie up the loose end that had gotten Beacon destroyed and Yang so injured. _It's better to focus on one thing at a time. Whether it's Adam or the leader, we should find whichever one we can first, then use the information we get from them to find the other._

May picked up the slack in conversation. "It might be a good idea to confirm that the meeting is taking place, and then incapacitate one of them when they're alone. We could have whoever we grab tell us where the leader and your former partner is."

"Hmm," Blake mused, running a hand through her hair. "I suppose that could work. I wish we had something better but with what little we know, I suppose it's the best we can do." May pursed her lips in response. "But you should bring your rifle just in case, that way you'll have it there if and when we need it.

"Unfortunately for us, Carmine's existence as a club-hotel hybrid meant that weapons are probably prohibited within either part of the establishment," Blake explained. "Although they have the excuse of not allowing weapons because it's a club, it really might be a clever way to create a safer space for Faunus. Also, if the White Fang really is using it as a meeting place, they would have an automatic advantage over anybody who could try to cause trouble for them. If they're meeting there, I expect them to find a way to keep their weapons on them. We'll need to be incredibly careful moving forward."

May's pursed lips drew into a frown. "Still, I don't think I'll be able to get Lilac in in the first place. She's just too big. If anything, the only time I might actually be useful would be if I were to shoot one of the meeting members after they leave. But even then, I'd be shooting from a window onto the streets, which would be. . ."

"Not great," Blake finished. "I see your point. Maybe you should bring it and leave it at a different, but close, location. That way if we decide we need it later, it'll be at least somewhat available. Depending on how powerful the member is we're trying to take out, it might be very good to have your support."

Having the rough outlines of a plan made, the two left with the intent of finding breakfast. They found and ate their fill at a savory crepe stand, Blake satiating her hunger with a vegetable filled one, while May chose a more sweet chocolate pear crepe.

As they neared Carmine's, May began complaining about her shoulder. Because her rifle case had been left behind, she had fastened a leather cord to the rifle and slung it over her shoulder. Far from being a quality strap, the thin leather strip was cutting into her skin, creating an angry red line underneath her shirt. "Although," she conceded after her latest complaint, "this would be a good area to leave her." She gestured to a few of the buildings around them. "I can just jump up with my semblance and leave it on the roof, I doubt anybody goes up there anyway. This is close enough."

When Blake didn't disagree May stopped their walk, spinning to look around and check for witnesses. Thankfully, the streets were mostly empty at this time of the morning; everybody was at work and this district wasn't very crowded in the first place. When she was sure nobody was watching, May ran toward a building and took a flying leap at it, striking the side with her palm. Flashing purple, the momentum of her jump carried her up the side, her shirt billowing in the wind. She disappeared over the edge, out of view for what would probably be a couple minutes. Blake decided to spend the time by finding a nearby bench and occupying it, content to watch the occasional car drive by. The sun hadn't yet reached its apex in the sky, and the brisque Vale air was pleasant to on her skin. If Blake were lacking anything, it was a warm cup of tea.

May returned from the rooftop a couple minutes later, dropping the distance and landing on the ground with a huff. Blake scooted over on the bench to make room, she promptly sat herself down. "There's a huge tangle of mechanical stuff up there, lots of pipes and like. Lilac was pretty easy to hide."

"Good," Blake responded, still gazing lazily at the sky. May got up, offering a hand to her.

"Let's go."

Blake let herself get pulled up and the two walked the rest of the way to Carmine's. Before they entered through the hotel portion, Blake stored Gambol Shroud under her jacket. May stared questioningly at her, asking how she would manage to sneak the weapon in. "You'll find out," was all Blake said.

Inside, they were greeted warmly by a different receptionist. As they talked, Blake enacted her plan. Standing straight and near the tall desk, she activated her semblance, creating a clone. Because she hadn't yet moved, the clone and she were indistinguishable, occupying the same space. Slowly, so as not to make a false movement, Blake leaned back, dropping low behind her clone. She was now out of the sight of the receptionist, her clone leaning against the counter to keep up her facade. To her credit, May kept talking. If left for too long, the receptionist would surely notice that Blake's clone wasn't moving or reacting in any way.

Blake snuck around the side of the counter and into the back. May now had a perfect line of sight both at the receptionist and she, who stood behind the woman. Acting as efficiently and with as much finesse as she could muster, Blake removed Gambol Shroud from under her coat, gently placing it in one of the open drawers. Alarm flashed in her mind as the receptionist spun in her chair, facing the way she had come to file some paperwork. Blake snuck around the counter's opposite side, moving in a low crouch until she made it back to May and her clone.

She stood slowly, rising up through her clone until she occupied its space once more before dispelling it. As she did so, the receptionist turned back to them with a smile without noticing the telltale black flicker that accompanied Blake's clone dissolving.

"Now, because Carmine's is part dance club, we don't allow weapons or contraband in our rooms," she said. "If you need to return to your vehicle or home to return any weapons you may be carrying, now would be the time to do it." Blake and May met eyes, smiling.

"We don't have any," May declared. The receptionist beamed at them.

"Wonderful! Then if I could have you two move over to this area, I'll just do a quick search. Is that alright?" she gestured to the right of the desk. Blake moved over first, standing with her feet shoulder-width apart, arms in a horizontal line. The receptionist patted her down smoothly and professionally, her hands didn't linger anywhere they shouldn't have. In fact, her hands didn't linger at all; she finished the pat down quickly, clearing Blake.

May stepped up to her next, mimicking the position Blake had been in. The search went equally smoothly, until the woman asked May about her beanie. "Do you mind taking this off for me?" May hesitated, a slight look of dismay on her face. Blake had expected that she wore the beanie low over he left eye to obscure some sort of injury or facial scar, and hadn't pried for that reason.

"Umm," May said uncertainly. Blake stepped forward to interject, keen to spare her from added discomfort. It turned out to be unnecessary, however. "I'd prefer to keep it on, if that's okay," May said. The receptionist paused for a moment.

"Of course, that's fine. Do you mind if I pat it down just to be safe?"

"Yes, that's fine." The receptionist was gentle, but May still looked uncomfortable as she ran her hand over the top of the beanie. She and Blake made eye contact, Blake found herself wondering if she'd ever know what May kept hidden under her beanie. _She has a pretty face, I can't imagine whatever she's concealing is anything too bad. Perhaps she's insecure about it though. . ._

An obvious look of relief passed over May's face when the woman cleared her and removed her hands. She stepped back to the desk, handing them a key. "I'm sorry to trouble the two of you like that, but I'm afraid it's mandatory," she looked down guiltily. "I'm not too fond of the practice, but rules are rules, I suppose."

Blake gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, we understand. Thanks again." She and May walked around the corner and then immediately stopped, Blake listening carefully until she heard the clack of manicured nails on a keyboard. Peering around the corner to make sure the receptionist was busy at work, she crouched and slowly snuck back to the desk. Picking up Gambol Shroud with a light touch, she snuck back to the hallway where May was waiting, and hid the weapon back under her jacket with a proud smile. May returned it with a thumbs-up. The pair continued to their room, this time on the opposite side of the second floor. As soon as they entered, Blake began searching for a good spot to store her weapon.

"Good job with that clone, that was pretty impressive," May praised, much to Blake's enjoyment. "I didn't see it coming, but I did my best to cover for you."

"You did a good job too."

"How do the clones work, anyway?" May sat down on the bed, shedding her jacket.

"Basically, I leave a hollow copy of myself behind that can take hits while I dodge or escape." She sighed. "It's. . . useful, I suppose." _I only wish it didn't play into my fears so much. My semblance is an enabler._ "If the clone is touched, it vanishes." She demonstrated by stepping to the side, leaving what looked like a perfectly normal version of herself where she stood. May gazed at it in appreciative wonder. It made her slightly uncomfortable that somebody could get so excited over a semblance that she disliked. "I suppose it is good for checking out how I look," she added with a chuckle.

May reached out to touch the clone, yelping when it vanished in a black blur. "Whoa. That's crazy!" Blake made another, carefully watching May as she stepped around it, looking at it from every angle. Although May was technically looking at a carbon copy of her, she wasn't uncomfortable because it wasn't technically her body. When May seemed satisfied, Blake released her hold on her aura, allowing the clone to disperse.

"We should probably head out and decide on some escape routes." May walked over to the window at her suggestion, opening the drapes to reveal a screen, and metal bars beyond that. _Almost like a prison,_ Blake thought. She supposed it made sense, considering the club's somewhat draconian policy of not allowing weapons.

"Could you cut through these if you had to?" May asked, gripping one of the bars and attempting to jiggle it. It didn't move.

"Yeah, Gambol Shroud should be sharp enough, if it becomes necessary." May closed the curtains again but left the window open to let in fresh air. "I have a feeling escape routes are going to be limited while we're inside. The only ways out are through any windows, the front and presumably the back of the hotel if we go through the kitchens, and through the front entrance of the dance club." She didn't see why they'd even need to go into the dance club; unless they wanted to party, the White Fang wouldn't have any motive for entering.

Leaving the room and then the hotel, the two spent the next few hours scouting the surrounding neighborhood for hiding spots and the fastest escape routes. The closely clustered buildings created lots of shadows and alleyways, contributing to the neighborhood's gritty atmosphere. Although bordering the Upper Class and Commercial Districts, it was far enough away from the heart of both of them to not display many of their telltale characteristics.

The nearest train station was about three quarters of a mile away; if they needed to make a hasty getaway it would not be able to provide. In the opposite direction at a much shorter distance were the cliffs that led to Forever Fall high above them. It was in this direction that Blake focused her attention, eyes drawn to a thin black line going up the cliffside. After a couple minutes, Blake realized it was actually a thick metal cord, which had once served to bring a small dust-powered gondola from the ground to the clifftops.

Communicating her desire to take a closer look, Blake and May walked back down the street to where the metal cord ran into a building. Inside, a small and dimly lit cluttered shop was visible, shelves stuffed to the brim with Vale tour guides and knicknacks that appeared to be gathering egregious quantities of dust. An old man with grey hair swept the floor with a wooden broom that looked every bit as worn as he did.

Blake looked around while May greeted the man casually, asking about the gondola attached to the rope. "Oh that old thing? My family used to run a tour business that brought all kinds of folk up to Forever Fall, so they could look at the leaves and the view. Brought 'em up on the gondola in back. Haven't used it in years though, with Vale growing so much over the decades, I closed down the business because we weren't getting enough traffic." The man rambled on, explaining that he became an author of wildlife books and used the building as his personal office.

He scratched his head after a few minutes of talking and raised his voice to include Blake in the conversation. "Do you two kids wanna see it? The gondola, I mean."

"Yes!" May exclaimed. "We'd love to." The man smiled, slowly leading the way through a set of double doors into a room in the back that was little more than four walls and no roof. In the center rested an old, beaten up gondola.

"She's a bit rusty but her dust engine's one of them hardy Atlas models. Bet it still works too. He opened the door with a rough jerk, the hinges squeaking. When he stepped inside, the gondola swung a little with his weight, rocking back and forth. He gestured May and Blake closer. "This here's the ignition, looks like the key's rusted in. Huh. Well, all ya need to do is press the 'on' switch and she'd probably bring you up there. Ah man, this brings me back," he began rambling, patting the side fondly after disembarking. "I remember when I was young, my dad always used to take me. . ." Blake and May listened politely, although not very attentively, as he regaled them with a long story about his youth and the "good old days."

As soon as was polite, the two made their exit. They shared a laugh at the kind old man that had nearly talked their ears off. "Hey," May joked, "at least we have an. . . interesting escape route possibility. Knowing our luck, this is the one we'll have to use."

"Well, I suppose there are worse ways to escape. It has the advantage of a good view."

The conversation dried up as the two went back to thinking about plans and potentialities, consulting with the one another when they thought of something that could be useful. They stopped briefly at another small coffee shop for lunch, ordering drinks on Blake's tab. She didn't mind, she would much rather have May around than not, and food was a small price to pay for that.

"You know, I should probably check in with Yurie to see if she knows anything about this meeting," May said suddenly, whipping her scroll out. Blake agreed, moving to sit next to her. A short dial tone later, Yurie answered on the other end.

" _Hello?_ "

"Hi Yurie, it's May. I put you on speaker phone so Blake can hear you as well."

" _Hi May, Blake! How are you two?_ "

"We're good, but unfortunately, I'm calling on business."

A wistful sigh crackled through the speaker. " _You always do. What can I help you two with?_ "

"Well," May began with a lowered voice and a furtive glance around, "Blake and I received information about a meeting that some higher-ups are planning for this weekend, at a club called Carmine's. We're pretty much ready to deal with it, but I was hoping you might have some information to add."

" _Hold on a sec, let me check my stuff._ " The sound of rustling papers became audible as Yurie presumably shuffled a mass of papers. Silence, and then unintelligible muttering came through the scroll. " _I'm not finding anything, I'm really sorry. If I learn anything I'll let you know, but I'm pretty low in the ranks. I'm not privy to the important information, sadly._ " Her tone carried a palpable sense of regret.

"That's okay," May quickly consoled. "Like I said, we're pretty sure we can handle it. I'll send you the coordinates so you know where it is, in case you do hear anything. Thanks again for your help!"

" _Sure, I only wish I could be more useful._ " May and Blake said their goodbyes, thanking Yurie in advance for any information she could dig up. While they could hope, extra information was not something they expected they would receive.

Unfortunately, with the limited amount of information the two had, the most they were able to do in preparation was map out a few more escape routes and mentally prepare themselves. Much of the actual mission would rely on quick thinking and improvisation, a fact which neither of them liked but could do very little about besides building room for flexibility into their plans.

If things went wrong and they needed to make an escape, they had a few options. The easiest would be to simply escape and hide in places they were unlikely to be found, but the downside was that the White Fang would be able to spend a large amount of time searching for them. While their presence on the streets was illegal, the police force in the border sections of Vale was markedly lacking; all the law enforcement resources were tied up monitoring the Upper Class and Commercial Districts. Seldom-visited areas of the districts were not looked upon with nearly as much scrutiny as the district hearts.

That left them with a different set of escape options, each of which involved leaving the area. If they could make it to either the Upper Class or Commercial Districts they would almost be guaranteed safety; in the weekend crowds they would be able to disappear completely. Their final option, which they laughed about, was to ride the rusty gondola up the cliffs and into Forever Fall. A humorous idea, but one they considered all the same.

The two decided to return to the diner for the evening to get a final meal for the night. Tomorrow could be a stressful day, and they wanted to be rested and well-fed in preparation. The burly owner waved at them when they entered, evidently having remembered their patronage from the other day. He came over with menus shortly after they chose their seats in a secluded window booth boasting a glorious view of the Vale sunset.

"Are you nervous?" May asked partway through their meal. Blake lowered her fork to the plate, using the now empty hand to retrieve her glass of water and take a sip before answering.

"I am, a little. I've never been too comfortable with making plans," she admitted. "That was always something our leader would do." She sighed in frustration. "I just. . . can't help but worry that I've left something really important out. And I know I probably didn't, but what if?"

"I know what you mean. I'm a sniper. My job has always been to watch from afar and provide updates on the situation from my point of view. But in situations where I can't do that, I feel pretty useless." Her chin slumped into her hands. "I'm no good at sneaking around, I'm not much of a planner, and my hand-to-hand combat skills are crap. Sniping is one of the few things I'm good at, and that skill not being useful is. . . kind of a new situation for me. Out in the wild, there aren't any buildings for Grimm to hide in; my team would always take care of any close quarters stuff."

"It's far from ideal," Blake agreed. May took a sip of her hot chocolate, accidentally giving herself a small mustache with the drink. "The information we got is minimal, so there really isn't too much we can do about it though. I mean, not even Yurie knew anything about the meeting, and she's even a member."

May wiped away her hot chocolate mustache with the back of her hand, a pensive look on her face. "I suppose the best we can do is plan for anything to go wrong, which we have. I mean, we have a way out for nearly anything that can come up."

"Yeah. . ."

They wrapped up dinner uneasily, each of them trying to convince themselves that nothing would, _could_ , go wrong. Although the doubt the carried was clearly visible, neither brought it up further. As they returned to the club hotel the crackle of fall leaves underneath their feet brought back a sense of enjoyment to the air. Forever Fall was perpetually in a state of crimson beauty, but the authentic fall season somehow aided it in making the leaves feel like something more than they were before. While a strange, albeit beautiful, sight throughout the warmer months, Forever Fall felt very different during the autumn.

They reentered Carmine's without a hitch, proceeding to the room. As if entering a colder space, returning to the club had prompted Blake's anxiety to come back. She felt as though the air was too still, as if it had invited certain disaster and was now simply waiting for it to arrive. "I'm going to take a shower," May grunted. "I'm not used to the cold. Vacuo is much warmer than Vale."

"Hmm," Blake intoned, the barest necessary acknowledgement. She nearly jumped out of her seat when May squealed with glee from the bathroom.

"Blake! They have a Jacuzzi! I've never been in one before!" Blake entered the bathroom, seeing May already removing her jacket.

"Oh wow, it's already filled too. Hmm." she mused, looking at its dimensions carefully. "It looks like it could-" she trailed off. " _Fit two people,"_ was what she was going to say, but then immediately thought better of it. "- be really warm," she finished lamely. She didn't want her idle observation of its size to be misconstrued as a plea for an invitation, and had shifted the topic of her sentence accordingly. _I don't want to intrude on her privacy._

"Well yeah, it's a Jacuzzi. Or wait," May paused. "Do you have to heat up the water first? I'm not familiar with the concept of these things," she laughed, dipping her hand in the water. "Ah, it's warm."

"Ahh no, it was just a stupid observation. Ignore me," Blake smiled. "Enjoy."

Closing the door to the bathroom gently, she couldn't help herself from smiling fondly at the splash and the contented sigh that came through the bathroom door. Blake rubbed her eyes sleepily, yawning. She pulled back the elaborate covers on the bed, or at least tried to, but was quickly confused by the intricacies of the sheets. She had never understood why hotels folded their bedding so elaborately. Eventually, she just slid into the bed through whatever gap in the covers she could find; she couldn't care less about the "proper" way to sleep.

Her head became comfortably fuzzy as she warmed. _Perhaps when May is done, I'll use the Jacuzzi myself,_ she thought, slowly nodding off. _It would be nice to take a warm bath. . ._ Sleep overtook her before she could put the thought into motion.


	12. Dance in the Bloody Hall

**Thanks so much to everyone who reads, reviews, follows, and favorites! Thanks to writer's block and other various circumstances, I've fallen somewhat behind in writing. There probably won't be a chapter next week, so please accept my apologies in advance.**

 **I'd like to extend a little bit of a warning: the story will be a bit darker from here on. I suppose it's not much of a spoiler to say that Adam is heavily involved in this.**

 **That said, I hope you enjoy this next chapter!**

* * *

A slight intake of breath drew Blake's attention to the window of the hotel, which May was currently looking through. She gripped the windowsill, fingers pressing against the wood with enough force to turn white. "They're here," she growled grimly.

Blake moved beside her and looked through the window herself. Sure enough, a small group of mask-wearing Faunus were making their way down the street toward the hotel. They were using the overcast sky and evening haze to their advantage, not bothering to take off their masks. Blake watched closely, making out the distinctive shapes of three men and one woman; she wasn't so sure about the fifth member who was wearing a hood that covered all their distinctive features.

"May," she said quietly. When no response came, she lightly bumped the girl's shoulder with her own. "May."

"Huh? Oh, sorry."

"We're prepared for this. They're here right where we thought they'd be." She could understand why May was on edge; making a plan to go against the White Fang was always easier said than done. Leaving her by the window, Blake stepped over to the door of the hotel and pressed her face against it, looking through the peephole.

She heard their voices before she saw them, although through the door she could only hear mumbled noise. A few seconds later they walked past the door, their masks glowing white under the overhead hall lights. As distorted as her vision was by the peephole, she could easily make out the shapes of weapons on a few of their hips, and one particularly large one strapped to the back of the tallest man. The figure in the hood still hadn't removed it, they strode by with the rest. Their voices became clearer for a moment before fading once again as their figures slipped from the edge of Blake's vision.

"They got up here pretty fast," May said from right behind her, causing her to jump. "They must've not needed to check in their weapons."

"Yeah," Blake confirmed with a groan, closing her eyes. "They were carrying them."

"Alright." May sat down on the bed, looking at her worriedly. "What do we do now?"

Blake's brows knitted together. "We need to get one of them alone. If we can do that, we can either take them back here or somewhere else. Then we can find who we're looking for."

"Okay, so we need to get one of them alone. How are we going to do that? Besides one of us knocking on their door and asking for directions, I can't think of anything that might work."

"Well. . . that might not actually be such a bad idea. What if one of us knocked on their door and told them that our ice machine broke?" She grabbed Gambol Shroud from underneath the mattress.

"What if they just point us in the direction of it? Are there any ways to guarantee we can get one of them outside?"

Blake didn't respond for a minute, thinking carefully. "The only thing I can think of is if you pretend to be blind. That way one of them will have to leave the room to guide you."

"Or they could slam the door in my face."

"Then you can pester them. They're not going to hurt a blind Faunus without a motive, that would be completely out of character for them."

May rolled her eyes but didn't say anything, opting instead to sigh her agreement.

"I'll stay close behind you," Blake continued, "I'll knock out whoever comes first, and if anything goes wrong, I'll back you up." They spent a couple minutes fine-tuning the plan before getting ready to go.

Blake held open the door, allowing May to pass through before silently closing it behind them. "Oh!" said a voice. The two of them looked to find the owner, and immediately froze in their tracks.

Directly in front of them stood a tall woman with long, scarlet hair, the top half of her face covered by a white mask with signature red markings. She was dressed in a long black coat that was covered in red ivy designs, the individual sprouts twisting into shapes that resembled clawed hands. The jacket was buttoned at the top and she wore nothing underneath, save a lacy crimson bra that matched her hair in color. From the black slacks she wore low on her waist, long, red lacy strips of her panties came to extend over her exposed hips in a manner that was extremely attention-grabbing.

"What perfect timing!" the White Fang female said. "I was just going to the club for a dance and a drink, but I'm afraid I've lost my way. Do you mind pointing me in the right direction?"

Blake and May shared a smile that masked a suspicious glance. Blake nodded imperceptibly, and May spoke. "Of course! My sweetheart and I were actually just going there ourselves," she said, latching onto Blake's arm. "You can tag along with us!"

"That would be lovely, thank you so much!" The two started off in the opposite direction of where they had originally intended to go, now aiming for the dance hall. The woman followed behind them, otherwise not doing anything that could seem suspicious. They descended the stairs and passed by the receptionists desk, the woman gave a small wave to the woman behind it, who tentatively waved back.

As they neared the loud beats of the dance floor the woman hurried ahead. "Thank you so much you two, you've been very helpful! I need to run to the restroom, maybe I'll see you around!"

May and Blake waved their goodbyes, shared a look, and then immediately rushed after her. "If she's going to the bathroom, we can just follow her in and do things from there!" Blake said under her breath.

"Right!" May picked up the pace. "We can't lose her, we need to see which bathroom she goes into!" They barely made it into the dance hall when they saw a flash of the woman's scarlet hair disappear into the crowd in the center of the room.

"There!" Blake pointed desperately. They rushed past the security guards who barely gave them a glance as they ran by. Fighting through the heavy Friday night crowd, they did their best to follow the woman but lost sight of her when they made it to the edge of the mirrored dance floor.

Blake stood on her tiptoes while May jumped up repeatedly, trying to catch sight of her. Luckily, their frenzied movement went completely unnoticed by the other dancers, such movements were actually quite normal looking in the club. May grabbed Blake's arm and tugged on it roughly to pull her forward. " _Directly across,_ " she yelled, Blake reading her lips as the bass drowned out her words.

May pulled her through the center of the dance hall, onto the mirrored center portion that reflected hundreds of flashing dance lights. Nearing the center, Blake saw a flash of scarlet lit by one of the lights in front of them, moving steadily farther and farther away.

When they reached the center of the mirrored floor the music ground to a stuttering halt, as if somebody had taken pieces of glass and sand and scattered them across a vinyl record so the needle scratched and ruined the surface. The lights flashed blindingly white, holding their intensity. May skidded to a halt, and Blake stopped next to her, rubbing her eyes which were blinded by the painful burst of color. The lights faded slightly, the sudden absence of music replaced by the sounds of startled gasps around them.

The spotlights above shifted to illuminate the two of them, alone in the center of the mirrored floor. They shared a fearful look; it was obvious something was _very_ wrong. Fingers pointed, people hushed, the sound of whispers died as everybody in the room turned to look in the same direction.

"Well, well, _well,"_ a voice snarled from the DJ stand. The lights strengthened as Blake looked up, intensifying the bold silhouette that stood on top of the soundboard. She couldn't make out his features, but she didn't need to. His silhouette was one she could recognize anywhere, one that featured heavily in her nightmares. A figure that filled her with doubt, fear, and loathing. A man whose sense of justice had twisted him into something more akin to a monster than a person.

His figure had ingrained itself into the depths of her mind, his eyes a constant reminder that he would always search for what he considered rightfully his. They burned with a promise that she knew he could keep: That he would find her, and force her to submit to his will.

Adam Taurus hopped down from the soundboard, his shoes making an acutely audible _clack_ on the stage. He picked up the microphone in an agonizingly slow fashion, his unconcerned movements making clear the fact that he was comfortable as the most powerful and vicious person in the room. The brush of his lips against the metal of the microphone sent shivers down her spine as he leaned forward to speak.

"Darling," he whispered. "My beautiful Blake." He stood tall, placing a hand on his signature crimson blade, which had been impaled through the soundboard. "I always knew you would come back to me. Nobody believed me at first, they thought you had died in the battle at Beacon." He let his fingers slip from the handle of his blade. He reached into his coat pocket and began pulling something out. "That is, until my dear Lieutenant brought me THIS!"

Blake struggled for breath, but each pained intake made her feel like she was going to vomit. She began to break out in a cold sweat as she realized what Adam had just held up. _My hair._ Her hand slowly went to her head, fingers clumsily feeling around the area from which her locks had been ripped days before.

* * *

May watched Blake begin to panic, gasping for breath as beads of moisture trailed down the side of her face. "Blake, Blake!" she tried to shake the girl, but it was as if her feet had frozen to the mirrored floor. Blake's body moved rigidly with each one of May's shakes, without result. Her eyes were wide, her mouth open slightly, as if issuing a continuous horrified gasp. " _Blake!_ " she continued urging. "We have to get out of here!"

The man on the stage continued talking, still holding up the black clump of Blake's hair. "I knew I'd find you, Blake," he hissed into the microphone, his voice grating like metal against May's ears. She ignored him and shook Blake again, panic evident in her voice.

"Blake! Who _is_ that?"

Blake's lips moved slowly, her voice barely registering as more than a whisper. " _Adam,_ " she said, more to herself than to May, as if she couldn't believe what her eyes were currently showing her. " _He's here._ "

Blake had mentioned Adam once or twice, her words dripping with hatred. Adam, the man responsible for the Fall of Beacon, the man that just by living, put Blake's team in too much danger to let her see them. If this was the same Adam as Blake's former teammate, then they were in a huge amount of danger. May renewed her efforts, grabbing Blake's face and pulling her head to her own so the girl was looking deep into her eye. Blake's pupils shrunk, beginning to focus on her.

"YOU!" Adam roared from the stage. "Girl, I don't know who you are, but you will _not_ tarnish our reunion." May jumped, suddenly feeling the weight of his focus on her. Dropping her hands from Blake's face, she turned her head to look at him. Even though his eyes were hidden behind his mask, his gaze carried with it a tremendous amount of fury and commanding force. Her skin crawled in response, as if its visceral reaction was to writhe when he spoke. "This event, it's about my darling and I," he continued, pointing at Blake with the tip of his blade. "You would do well not to interrupt again, girl, or I'll have you skewered where you stand. Carmine!"

Cold steel pressed itself into her cheek, turning her blood to ice. She turned her head slightly, following the length of the sword back to its owner. The crimson-haired woman that they had led to the dance hall stood at the end, holding it against her face with a gleeful smile. She pressed forward on the blade, forcing May to turn her head forward again, lest her cheek be cut by the edge. The woman stayed still behind her.

"Well done Carmine," Adam spoke smoothly into the microphone, "I knew I could count on you to lure them here. I must say, you did a rather _excellent_ job."

"Thank you, sir," Carmine responded, pride evident on her voice.

"Keep the girl still." He moved his blade so it was pointing at her. "If you interrupt again, I'll spill your blood all over the floor." The blade held against her cheek rotated so it was no longer the flat held against her face, but the edge. She could feel her aura gradually depleting as it kept the blade from cutting her face.

"Now, where was I?" He beheld the hair gripped tightly in his hand. "Oh yes, Blake, you and I were having our reunion. It's been a while. Have you enjoyed your days away from Beacon?" Blake was silent. "How's the blonde doing?" Blake's hands curled into fists, nails digging deep into her skin. "Oh, or perhaps you don't know? Did you run away again?" he whispered, a grin splitting his face. "You always do."

Blake's previous expression of fear was replaced with an angry snarl. No, not replaced, but covered temporarily. May could hear her teeth grit together. "You know," Adam continued, pressing the mass of black hair to his mouth and speaking through it, "I'm still disappointed that all I got was her arm. I would've liked to have taken her legs too, to have watched the expression on your face while she dragged herself away." He turned, dropping the hair from above his head. As it fell, he whipped his blade through it, a streak of crimson neatly bisecting the black clump. " _Slice,_ " he whispered.

Blake's fingernails punctured the skin of her palm, blood trickling down her fist. "You're a monster," she growled, lips pulled back into a feral snarl, teeth exposed. She shook still, her anger and fear blending into hysterics. Her mouth worked as if to say something but no sound came out. Her breathing came in ragged, distressed gasps.

"Blake," May whispered, moving her face as little as possible to avoid detection. "Blake, snap out of it, _please._ We need to get out of here, they're going to kill us." She gasped when Adam snapped his fingers, the crack echoing throughout the hall. The cold blade pressed against her cheek suddenly disappeared. She tried to turn as she heard the distinctive whistling of a blade cutting through air.

An arrow of pain lanced through her as the back of her right calf split open. The sound of spattered blood was drowned out as she fell to the ground screaming, her leg no longer able to support her weight. She landed on her side, tears blurring her vision heavily as she desperately tried to stay conscious. The pain wouldn't stop, but one thought remained at the forefront of her mind. _I need to get up! I need to get up! Blake needs my help!_

She managed to get to her hands and knees, her right leg trailing uselessly. Her fingers pressed into the glass floor hard enough to crack the surface, hairline fractures spreading from her fingertips. A voice yelled frantically at her, repeating itself through the heavy ringing in her ears.

"May! May!" Blake reached out to touch her with shaking hands, laying them on her shoulder. "May, stay with me!" She couldn't respond as her body reeled with pain. Bile rose in her throat when she took a shuddering breath. She vomited, nearly collapsing into it as another wave of pain overcame her.

"Aaah-" she choked out, tears and shuddering breaths choking off her words. Her aura already weakened from the constant press of the blade against her cheek, Carmine's cut had shredded what was left of it, slicing unhindered through her leg. It bled heavily, pooling around her. The cut, while not quite deep enough to reach bone, was going to be fatal if the bleeding didn't stop soon. Likewise, walking would be out of the question.

Adam's voice cut through the ringing in her head. "Thank you, Carmine, I couldn't have done that better myself." He watched them with amusement as Blake grabbed May by the arm, helping her carefully up so she was partly standing. She pulled May's arm over her shoulder, the other snaking around her waist to grip her tight. May wobbled despite the helping hand; she would doubtless fall without the support.

"Are you ready to start listening?" He adjusted his mask with his middle finger, casually throwing his blade into the air and catching it after a full revolution. "Please don't interrupt again, or I'll make sure you won't ever be able to." He began walking toward the two of them slowly, focusing his attention on Blake once more. "Darling, I'm surprised you're here. What made you come? Did you miss me?" His toothy grin made May want to be sick again. She barely resisted, biting her tongue to keep the bile from rising further up her throat. Her vision faded in and out of focus, tears blotting the clarity with which she would normally see.

"I'm going to kill you," Blake growled. Adam began laughing, throwing his head back while his body spasmed with each laugh.

"And how did you plan to do that, love? Your friend is injured, and you don't even have control over yourself." He threw the microphone aside, the sound it made when slamming into the ground causing them to jump. "In fact, I'm surprised you haven't run away. Isn't that what you do best?"

Blake didn't respond, casting a baleful glare at him.

"I spent the longest time after taking down Beacon looking for you. I had come _so_ close! And yet, when I finally found you, you ran away once again. I should have expected it, really. Once a coward, always a coward." He let out a severe bark of laughter. "But then, imagine my surprise when my Lieutenant came to me the other day, holding a lock of your hair. I thought you had run away for good, but it turns out you were out killing members of my organisation, your former brethren, this whole time."

"And now, you're finally where you belong, love. Back at Beacon, you told me you'd never run again. Well, we both know how that turned out. Why did you expect this to play out any differently? Did you really think you'd suddenly have the strength to face me? That time apart would help your pathetic sense of courage grow?"

He walked forward until he was standing a few feet in front of May. "Girl," he addressed her. "I'm not sure how much you think you know about your _friend_ here, but let me tell you a little something. She's a coward. She had no sense of courage, and she only does one thing well. She runs away. As fast and as far as she can."

"Shut up!" Blake yelled. "You don't know me! You changed Adam, and you don't know who I am anymore!"

"Is that so? Well then, why don't you draw your weapon and fight me? Leave the girl behind, show me how much you've grown! How powerful you've become!"

Blake didn't answer. Adam waited expectantly for a moment, then nodded nearly imperceptibly to Carmine. Her cold blade returned to rest heavily on May's cheek, staining her face with her own blood. She shivered in fear, clutching Blake tighter. The blood ran down her neck and into her shirt, leaving a trail of sticky redness.

"Well, what are you going to do, Blake? Do you have the strength to go back on your word and run away again, all to save yourself?" He pointed his sword at May. "Will you once again abandon everyone you love, and run like the coward you know you are?" With a yell, he stabbed his blade into the floor in a show of force. "Or will you stay true to your promise, and fight me? Will you let her die so you don't have to compromise your morals?" His mask shifted as he flashed a toothy grin. "Sounds like a hard choice to me."

Blake interposed herself between her and Adam, forming a protective barrier with her body. More an ideological gesture than anything, as Carmine still stood behind them with her sword drawn, but it was answer enough. "I'm _not_ leaving her."

Adam tilted his head to the side, as if he hadn't expected that answer. "Very well," he hissed. "If you want to fight and die to protect her, then so be it. Blake, you're weak. Sentimental attachment is only something that can be used against you." With a flash of motion, the point of his crimson sword suddenly hovered in front of her face. "But, I'll make you a deal, if only to see how entertaining you can be." The point vanished, the blade replaced in its sheath. "I'll give you a chance to run away with the girl. I don't expect you to get far. When I catch you, I'm going to kill the girl while you watch. _Slowly._ "

"You won't touch her, _ever_ ," she responded, her voice shaking. She wrapped the arm that held Gambol Shroud around May's head protectively.

Adam pointed at the door. "Stand aside, Carmine, let them leave. Now run, coward! Run and hide, but know that I will always find you."

Blake immediately turned and fled, holding May close to her, half carrying her body as she hobbled. If Adam was going to play with her like she was food and give her even the slightest chance to escape, she would take it. Carmine stepped aside, leaving a clear path to the double doors.

They burst through the doors into the night air, stumbling onto the sidewalk. Blake made a beeline for an alleyway, turning to shoot at the door of the club with her free hand. She didn't check to see if any of the bullets hit anything, too busy dragging May along.

"May. May, stay with me!" she urged. "We need to get out of here, can you walk by yourself?"

May's vision blacked for a moment before returning. "I - I don't think so. I can't even feel my leg." Sure enough, her right leg was dragging uselessly, her bloodsoaked shoe dragging against the ground with every step. As they entered the alleyway, Blake checked behind them.

"Just a little farther May, we need to find a place to hide. Talk to me, so I know you don't pass out!" the panic in her voice cleared a little bit of the fog that was steadily building in her head.

"I-" she mumbled, her vision fading slowly to grey. "I don't think we'll be able to make it to a train station or. . . -"

"May! May, wake up!" A flash of pain registered on the side of her face, startling her into consciousness. She gasped with surprise. "I'm sorry May, you were fading! You _have_ to stay awake!" The panic in Blake's voice gave her something to focus on besides her leg.

They left the alley behind and took the sidewalk up another street, stumbling headlong into another dark alley. "Here," May pointed with her hand, lacking the energy to form a strong pointing hand. "I don't think. . . he'll be able to find us here."

Blake lowered her to the ground, immediately ripping her jacket off. "I need to bind your wound, or else you'll bleed to death. Here, bite into your jacket so we won't be heard." May did so, biting her wrist through the sleeve of her jacket. "This may hurt," Blake warned. May nodded in response.

"I'm ready."

The binding, surprisingly, didn't hurt much. A cool numbness had spread throughout her body; while she recognized it as a telltale sign of blood loss, she couldn't help but to be thankful for the absence of pain. She sat helplessly, slumped against the alley building while Blake tied her jacket multiple times around her lower leg.

Footsteps from the end of the alley startled her. Adam Taurus slowly walked around the corner, coming to a halt in the center of the alley, about thirty meters away from them. "Blake!" May yelled in warning. Blake jumped, frantically looking around.

Blake looked up in fear at the sound of his voice. "Did you really think you could escape from me?" he sneered. "You've lost your touch, Blake. I was expecting a much harder game of hide-and-seek, and now, I'm frankly disappointed."

He gestured grandly at the ground. "Your partner is bleeding everywhere, she left a clear trail of blood for me to follow. I almost felt bad, your attempt at escape was beyond pathetic. I told you that placing sentimental value in people was a bad idea, and now look at you. You're cowering in an alleyway, taking care of a helpless _human._ You should leave her behind, she's only going to cause you to die. If you were alone, I'd almost expect you to escape. You're good enough at running away, you must have built up experience. But this?" he began walking forward. "This is nothing short of. . . disgusting."

Blake jumped to her feet, brandishing Gambol Shroud at him. "I told you, I won't leave her behind!" She rushed at him, gripping the katana portion tightly. He drew his blade in response, settling into a stance with the blade next to his face. At the last possible second, she jumped backwards, creating a clone of herself. Adam slashed through the clone without hesitation, twitching in surprise when it blurred from existence. Blake gathered May in her arms, sprinting out of the alleyway as fast as her legs could carry her. "The jacket should keep you from bleeding too much," she huffed breathlessly. "We need to get farther away."

"Where can we go? We'll never make it far away enough in time, he's going to be able to follow us." Blake bit her lip in frustration. "Blake, I'm only going to slow you down. Find a place to leave me, and then you can get away."

"What?!" her grip tightened around May's shoulders. "I'm not leaving you, he'll kill you to get to me!"

"I'm not saying you should abandon me. I'm saying you should find a place to hide me, that way I won't slow you down. Then, once you lose him, you can come back and pick me up."

"I can't just-"

"Blake!" May growled, grabbing the back of her head to force her to make eye contact. "You're not thinking! If you don't put me somewhere, he's going to catch both of us!" May's expression softened. "Look, I know you're scared, but you need to listen to me. It's either that, or both of us die. Please."

Blake took a deep breath and turned another corner, onto an empty street. She left a clone at the corner to serve as a distraction, the darted onto a side street. "There," she said, pointing at a small space between two buildings with her chin. "I can put you there and then lead him away. Will that work?" May nodded fervently.

"Yeah, that's good. I think I need to stay still for a couple minutes, and I can retie my leg." Blake gingerly lowered her, making sure she could keep her balance. She assisted her in hobbling into the crevasse.

"May-"

"Stop. Blake, you need to run, _now_. I promise I'll be okay." Blake looked like she wanted to argue, but then thought better of it.

"Whatever you do, don't fall asleep. I'll be back for you soon." She vanished quickly, a streak against the night.

May collapsed against the wall, sliding down while carefully keeping weight from her leg. Without the sound of Blake's labored breathing and her whimpers of pain, the night was incredibly quiet. She untied Blake's jacket from around her leg, shivering in disgust when she realized it was absolutely soaked in blood.

She pulled off her own jacket hastily, folding it and tying it around her leg to stop the warm flow of blood once again. It didn't seem to be slowing; she'd be in trouble if it continued like this for too much longer. While the jackets had done well to stop the flow, they were only a temporary measure until her aura came back and she got stitches.

She wrung out Blake's jacket as best she could, squeezing with as much force as she could put into her hands. Blood dripped from it slowly, trailing onto the ground. Come morning, the crevasse was going to look like a brutal murder scene from a horror movie. May leaned back, taking deep breaths, trying to control her breathing. Her leg was beginning to hurt again, hot flashes of pain now and again arcing up her leg. She did her best not to make any sound, but if the pain increased, she wouldn't be able to keep from groaning. She tied the sleeves of Blake's jacket together and hung it over her head. It would probably be ruined, but perhaps, If they made it out alive, it could be cleaned.

Fighting against her natural inclination, she refused to let her eyes shut. If she fell asleep, there was no guarantee she would wake back up, and she needed to stay alert for when Blake returned. Minutes passed by agonizingly slowly, her leg beginning to throb steadily with every beat of her heart.

When she heard footsteps, she willed herself to silence. From the sounds of it, the person was running, doing their best to make their steps quiet. May heard them clearly though, the sounds echoing in the close confines of crevasse. She held her breath and willed her heart to slow when a shape covered in darkness stopped in front of her hiding space.

"May," Blake's voice hissed. "May, I lost him, we need to get going."

She breathed a sigh of relief, which came out as more of a whimper as her leg spasmed with pain. "Alright, help me up." Blake moved to comply, picking May up once again, this time in a piggyback hold. She made sure not to touch May's leg, letting it hang freely.

"We don't have much time, and we need to get you safe. Where should we go?"

"He'll follow us anywhere, and we won't be able to get far away fast enough. We need to go somewhere he can't follow."

"Forever Fall," Blake breathed. "We can take the gondola up and hide in the forest. He won't be able to follow us there if we disable the gondola once we reach the top."

"God damnit," May sighed, resting her head on Blake's shoulder. "I knew that was gonna come in handy."

"I just hope it works," she replied, carrying May down the street, "I lost Adam a couple blocks back, but if it doesn't work we'll be in trouble. How's your leg?" The question was framed as a businesslike approach to the situation, but the tremble in her voice belied the truth. She was barely keeping herself together. Resting her head on Blake's shoulder, May could hear her wild heartbeat.

"I re-wrapped it, but it's just a temporary measure."

The small shop came into view as they rounded the final corner. Blake sprinted toward the entrance, stopping to jiggle the handle. "Shit, it's locked. Hold on, I need to set you down. If he isn't already onto us, he will be after this. Are you ready?"

May took a deep breath, "I'm ready."

Blake leaned her against the wall, then kicked in the door, breaking the wood around the knob. The splintering sounded loudly in the air, telegraphing their location. A roar of rage sounded behind them from around the corner. Blake gathered May and rushed into the shop, knocking over a few wire racks of books and magazines to make it harder for Adam to get to them.

The double doors to the gondola were unlocked, Blake wrenched them open and climbed inside with May, tossing her onto one of the seats. She fumbled with the controls for a moment before swearing and pulling out her scroll, using the screen as a light. Finally finding what she was looking for, she slammed her fist onto the 'On' button. The engine roared to life with a shower of sparks.

Adam crashed through the door as Blake slammed the control lever into the highest position it would go. The gondola jolted upward, May leaned from her seat and fired Gambol Shroud out of the doorway. Adam didn't bother dodging the shots, sprinting through the bullets across the wooden floor. He jumped upward, catching the bottom edge of the door from with the tips of his fingers.

"I'll kill you both," he growled beginning to pull himself up, "I'll gut you and rip out you-" His voice was cut off by a yell from Blake, who slammed the door shut on his fingers. His weight left immediately, the gondola swinging with the sudden absence of the extra weight. May peeked out of the window, watching him crash into the floor. The floorboards splintered and cracked, but he appeared largely unharmed. He stood and screamed up at them, brandishing his blade at the ever rising gondola. "I loved you, Blake! And you'll never replace my affections with that of another! I'll take everyone you love away from you, just like you did to me!"

May slammed the open window shut to cut off his yelling, the confined space amplifying their panting. Their breath came back in slow gasps, but their heartbeats stayed wild, the adrenaline etching out every detail of the city as they slowly rose up the cliffs.

The mortal danger far below, May breathed a sigh of relief, then groaned as the pain from her leg began returning with a vengeance.

Blake burst into tears, simply unable to hold herself together anymore. May immediately found her hand in the darkness, squeezing tightly. "Blake, Blake, it's okay. He's gone. He can't hurt us anymore. There's no way he can follow us up here."

"But he _did!_ He found me, and you got hurt because of me," she sobbed. Her tears glinted faintly in the moonlight. "This is all my fault, all because I ran away. I should've. . . Why couldn't I fight him?"

"I. . ." May wasn't sure what to say to make her feel better, or if consoling her was even something she could do. "Blake, look at me." She didn't, instead silently looking out the window at the lights of Vale. The tears ran down her face unabated; she made no move to wipe them away.

"Blake." May cupped Blake's face in her hands. She immediately closed her eyes, as if unable to muster the courage to look at her.

"May, I'm so sorry," she said, bitterness in her voice. May cut her off before she could keep talking.

"It's okay, but I'm going to need you to- aargh!" A flash of pain from her leg cut off her sentence, her final reserves of energy and adrenaline running out. The throbbing continued, she gripped her leg with both arms, applying pressure to it in hopes of lessening the pain.

"May! May, what can I do?"

"My leg," she gritted out. "It needs to be stitched. Please tell me you have a field kit."

"I do," Blake said, her broken voice barely above a whisper. "Turn over, I'll need to cut off your pant leg so I can stitch it."

"Thank you." She pulled Blake's bloodsoaked jacket from around her neck and bit into it, her mouth filling with the taste of cold, wet iron. Slight pulling sensations followed as Blake used Gambol Shroud to cut through her pant leg.

"I'm sorry, but this is going to hurt," Blake warned. May grunted in response. The stitching was distracting Blake from her sorrow, which she definitely needed at this moment. They weren't in the clear yet, not until she was free from the danger of bleeding to death. There would be time for heartbreak later.

She gritted her teeth around the jacket as the needle went in, pulling through with it a long length of thread. May leaned her head against the window in defeat, not even trying to mask her whimpers. Far below, Vale stood, an impassive bystander to her pain.

She cried freely, her tears mixing with the blood in her mouth. Blake worked silently, she'd have to stitch together both her muscles and skin if they were to heal properly. The hooked needle reignited her pain whenever it touched down, creating a new puncture wound.

In the cruel world the fall of Beacon had thrown them into, they were impossibly far from both humanity and friendliness. There was nobody to help them but themselves. Any kindness that was shown to them was met with caution and suspicion; any helping hands were slapped away at the risk of creating bonds that would hinder them. They had experienced loss and heartbreak, and measured against physical pain, she would gladly take the latter.

Her tears were brought on by pain, but not sustained by it. They were self sustained, a cruel cycle of sorrow perpetuated by acknowledgement of its existence. A yearning for something that would be forever out of her reach.

 _I want to go home._


	13. Break I

**As always, thanks to those who read, review, follow, and favorite! It means a lot to me. Recently writing has been pretty tough, what with Thanksgiving break and my friends visiting from across the country. But, this Monday should herald a return to normalcy for my schedule. Thanks for your patience, and enjoy chapter 13 of Fifty Caliber Cat!**

* * *

The gondola reached the top of the iron rope with a loud clanging sound, jolting to a swinging halt. Her arm slung over Blake's shoulder, May hobbled out of the rusty vehicle. "There," she said, pointing at a nearby tree, "If you set me there you can disable the gondola."

Blake complied, jamming Gambol Shroud deep into the engine mechanism after she had turned it off. She stabbed at it a couple more times for good measure until grimy dust crystals began spilling out and onto the metal floor.

May took in their surroundings from her seat. The gondola landing was made of patchy stonework on the ground, long overgrown by weeds and covered with layers of crimson leaves. This area hadn't been used since the gondola business was running, it seemed, which made it much more likely that they couldn't be followed. May figured it would be quite a chore to find them in the first place, unless the White Fang followed them directly up the cliffs with an airship.

"We need to find a place to hide," May said when Blake returned, wordlessly lifting her once again. "Anywhere far away from here should be a good place."

"Right," Blake responded shakily. "What are we looking for?"

"I think we're relatively safe. What we need now is to find a place to bed down for the night. I don't think my leg will be a threat anymore, but exhaustion and the cold will be." Blake nodded in response, beginning to walk along the edge of the cliffs in the opposite direction of Beacon. May kept talking, doing her best to fight her exhaustion, "We should be safe nearly anywhere up here, but it would be best if we found a place that was out of the wind. Keep an eye out for us, I can't see in the dark."

She did her best to watch along with Blake but her single eye was only assisted in small amounts by the moon. It casted dusty shadows in the forest, which the darkness now made the previously crimson leaves look more like blood. Her leg continued throbbing but the cold air made it somewhat bearable; her exposed leg no longer covered by her pants below the knee. Their breaths came out with small puffs of steam, colored silver briefly when illuminated by the moon.

"I think we're far enough away, Blake," she said after a half hour of steady walking. "Any farther and we'll just tire ourselves out. We should head inward a little and find a hollow or something."

"Are you sure? I can keep going, I'm not too cold. I want us to be safe, that's all, if there's anything we can do to make sure that he won't-"

"Blake," she interrupted, "you're panicking. We're far enough, I promise." Blake stopped walking to take a deep breath and slowly exhale. She wordlessly turned away from the cliffs and into the red-canopied forest. May's vision was plunged into darkness as the moon was obscured mostly from view. She blinked quickly in succession, trying to get used to the dark faster.

Blake stopped them at a small dip in the land, a miniature valley filled with leaves. She kicked together a pile, then gently laid May into it. "We'll need to crawl under this pile of leaves if we want to stay warm enough," May directed from her seat. Blake complied, getting on her hands and knees to create a mound, jumping slightly whenever the leaves crackled a little louder than she wanted.

When the pile was finally finished, she helped May up and then laid her down again next to it. May removed the bloodsoaked jacket from where it hung around her neck when she noticed Blake shiver and grip her upper arms, rubbing warmth into them. "Here, come lie down next to me. It's a little bloody, but your jacket should help us keep warm."

Blake looked at her sadly, her vision passing up and down her body before finally resting on her injured leg. "May, I really. . . I don't know what to say. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, we can talk about it later. Now come here and lie down, it's only going to get colder."

Blake looked at her with doubt. "Maybe. . . I shouldn't be around you, May. You saw what happened. I don't want to hurt you again. When I'm around people, I'm just a. . . liability."

"Blake, this wasn't your fault. We had no way of knowing he would show up there, we couldn't have planned for it." Her words were spoken with a careful gentleness that she didn't know she possessed. "And you're not the one who hurt me, in fact, you saved my life. So, thank you for that. If it weren't for you, I'd still be back there on the ground."

"I don't know," she responded, her voice wavering. She wiped at the corners of her eyes. "I think. . . I just need to be alone for a while. . ." She looked heartbroken, standing in front of May. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

As she turned to leave, May grabbed her hand, pulling her back. "Blake, I can't fight the cold by myself. You stitched me up, but if you go. . ." She looked down at the ground, squeezing Blake's hand tighter. "I don't think I'll survive." She looked up, fear clearly displayed in her eyes. "Blake, honestly, I'm scared. I don't want to be alone."

Blake put her face in her hands, breathing out a rush of air dejectedly. "After all that's happened, all I've been through, my first instinct is still just to run away. . . I'm pathetic." She let herself fall to her knees next to May. "I'm sorry, I won't go anywhere."

Before Blake could resist, May grabbed her hand and pulled her to the ground so they were side-by-side. "We need to share our warmth," was her only explanation before she wrapped her arms around Blake, pulling their bodies close together. After laying the jacket over them and scraping leaves over the rest of their bodies to create insulation from the cold, she was surprised to feel Blake's arms wrap around her too, pulling her close.

They shivered together, but as the minutes passed by they began warming ever so slightly, until the shivers subsided and their breathing slowly evened. She felt Blake jump at every sound, but May hugged her closer each time, tightening her grip on the girl as if she's slip away at a moment's notice. It wasn't comfortable, but for the first time in hours she felt somewhat safe.

"I'm not mad at you, Blake. This wasn't your fault." While she knew Blake would disagree, she was glad to at least have the last words between them be kind ones, and not unnecessary apologies. She fell into an uneasy yet exhausted sleep curled against Blake's chest, snuggled into her arms.

May woke up multiple times throughout the night, each time a jolt of panic making her worry that she was alone in the cold forest. But each time, she took comfort in the warmth of Blake's protective arms. She had fallen asleep exhaustedly; she wouldn't leave.

* * *

May cracked her eyes open, breaking the thin line of frost that had grown over her eyelashes. The sunlight crept in through her narrowed eye and she stretched slowly, her shoulders popping and flexing. She felt a weight around her chest and along her back, it took her a few moments to identify the weight as Blake's body. Blake's grip loosened slightly as May turned over. The closeness and intensity of Blake's amber eyes startled her; she hadn't expected her to be awake.

As she moved, Blake retracted her arms and sat up, removing the warmth of her form. "You're awake. How are you feeling?"

May stretched her arms, careful to keep her leg still. The pain had subsided to a dull ache, but she didn't want to agitate it and risk tearing the stitches or causing herself unnecessary pain. "I'm feeling-" she tested out her fingers and toes, slowly working the stiffness out of the digits. "-okay," she concluded. Although cold, her extremities had been spared from frostbite, and sleeping in Blake's embrace had kept her relatively warm.  
She focused on the toes in her right foot and willed them to move, as slowly and carefully as she could. They twitched, but a small flash of pain accompanied the movement. She had gotten incredibly lucky to retain her control over them; she supposed accelerated aura healing was good for something.

Blake watched her movements silently, before commenting. "We'll need to change your bandages soon, they've probably become soiled."

"Yeah. I'm sorry about your jacket, I know blood doesn't really wash out all that well," she replied.

"It's okay," she said quietly, somberness tainting her voice.

May looked around from where they sat, carefully taking in the surroundings. Forever Fall's normal crimson majesty was now accented with a light white dusting of powder snow, the leaves rimed with frost. The scenery brought the image of blood-stained porcelain skin to her mind; she looked away in discomfort. "Where do we go from here?" she wondered aloud.

Blake looked up from where she was staring, which had been at May's injured leg. "Well, we need to get down these cliffs, and since I destroyed the gondola, that option isn't available to us." She paused, frowning. "And if we go much further in that direction, we'll get to Beacon. There could be vehicles there, but it's still being maintained as a high-risk area and if they find us there, we'll most likely get detained and questioned. If we can, I'd like to avoid any entanglement with the Atlas Military."

"Yeah, it wouldn't take much for them to put two and two together and connect us to the White Fang," she agreed. "And although we're innocent - well, partly,- I agree. My injury isn't life threatening, so avoiding them sounds like a good idea. What about going the other way, toward the ocean?"

"I'm not too familiar with the geography in the area, but I'm pretty sure we'd run into the same problem there too. Cliffs."

May scratched at her head, her hair sweaty from its time under the beanie. "Maybe I should call Yurie. She could probably find us a way to get down from here. Also, she could find out if it's safe to go down in the first place. The White Fang could still be searching for us, for all we know."

Blake sighed, "I imagine so. Once Adam has a grip on something, he hates to let it get away. And now that the White Fang knows about us, living in Vale is going to become a lot more dangerous."

May pulled out her scroll and contacted Yurie, who picked up after the fourth ring. " _May? Are you alright? I heard something crazy went down at Carmine's last night, what the hell happened? Are you okay?_ "

May laughed weakly, "Yeah, we're fine. Mostly." She explained an abbreviated version of the situation to her, concluding with their current problem. "So at the moment, we're stuck on the Forever Fall clifftops and we're not sure how to get down. We don't want to get too close to Beacon either."

" _I understand. I'm glad you're okay, May. And you too Blake._ " Their expressions became darker as Yurie explained the current situation in Vale. " _The higher ups in the White Fang are extremely agitated right now, it must have something to do with the fact that you've gotten away. Crime soared overnight, we've gotten a ton of orders to loot and burn down buildings, without regard to who the owners are._ _It's pretty strange,_ " she mused, " _this whole thing seems like some teenager's angry temper tantrum. Except, well, you know. There are a lot more dead people,_ " she said quietly. " _We've also been given orders to look for a cat Faunus with black hair, and a girl with a beanie._ "

"That sounds like us," May commented, worry prominent in her voice.

" _Our orders are explicitly to bring you back alive, apparently the leader made that part extra clear, because the higher-ups wouldn't stop pushing that issue. I don't know who the leader is, but this Adam person sounds like he fits the bill. You guys need to be extra careful._ "

"Adam is the leader of the White Fang?" Blake interjected. "How is that possible, what happened to Sienna Khan?"

" _Sienna Khan died right before the fall of Beacon. I guess a new leader stepped in, but we were never given any details besides, 'it's been taken care of.'_ "

Blake looked at May with wide eyes. "That means Adam can mobilize the entire White Fang to find us if he wants. This is bad, May."

" _It is,_ " Yurie said before May could respond. " _Like I said, you guys can't be careful enough. I need to go, but I'll do my best to find a way down for you two. I don't know how well I'll do, the police presence down here is through the roof after last night's crime spree. I'll need to be careful myself, the Vale police are holding any possible White Fang members under high suspicion. That means. . . well, there are going to be a lot of Faunus in jail that don't deserve to be._ "

"Stay safe, Yurie," May responded. "If you can't find something out, we will. Keep us updated, okay?"

" _You got it,_ " Yurie responded, her voice sounding tired. " _And if I find anything out about the leader or whatever else, I'll let you know. Yurie out._ "

May dropped her arm and pocketed her scroll with a sigh. "Well, I suppose now all we can do is wait for her."

"I hope she's able to stay safe," Blake said.

"She's got her boyfriend with her, so I think she'll be fine. But yeah, I hope so too. Now that I think of it, she was apparently about to graduate from Beacon when it fell, I wouldn't be surprised if you two had actually passed each other in the hallways a couple of times."

"I'm sure we did, but I was never to good at meeting new people," Blake confessed. "I was always caught up in my own head, dealing with my own problems." She gave a wry and pained laugh. "I suppose I still am."

May stayed silent, opting to let the conversation dry up. To her surprise, Blake spoke up again.

"I think I owe you a bit of an explanation," she began, turning her apologetic eyes in her direction.

"Blake, you don't have to talk about this if you don't want to, I know it must be-" she paused to search for the right words "- really hard."

"I know, but I still feel obligated to. And," she continued, "I think part of me needs to get this off my chest."

May understood. Problems were so, so easy to gloss over if they were kept inside your head. Sometimes, most times, it seemed that it was easiest to simply not stir that water for fear of clouding a sense of resolve with mud from the depths. But in the same way that voicing problems aloud could make them more real, it also gave them an added importance; forcing previously idle hands into action.

"You don't mind if I monologue for a while here, do you?"

May gestured vaguely around with a tired smile. "I can't think of anything else to do. Go for it, Blake, but don't feel obligated to continue on my behalf if you don't want to."

"Then make yourself comfortable, this may take a little while." She leaned herself against a tree, taking a deep breath in preparation. May lay back down in her bed of leaves, content to stay unmoving. She made sure to keep her eyes away from Blake, not wanting to invade her privacy by watching her too closely.

"I was practically born into the White Fang," she began. "Back then, the organization was a peaceful one; we organized meetings with the leaders of humanity, formed unions to better advocate for our rights. As things got worse, we began peaceful protests, rallies, and even boycotted many of the companies that treated our kind unethically or even flat-out refused to serve us. However, as much as we wanted things to change for the better, that didn't seem to be happening. With large conglomerates like the Schnee Dust Company actively working against us, we began to lose hope that things would change for the better.

"Then, about six years ago, the previous leader stepped down, and was replaced. There were whispers at first, nobody had expected her to step down so suddenly. But when Sienna Khan took the leadership, it began making sense. He was the most violent leader so far, and with him, the White Fang radicalized, slowly becoming the force it is today. Our peaceful protests began turning into riots, our boycotts turned into looting and arson. I think one of the only reasons Faunus accepted this change in tactics was because it was actually starting to work. Suddenly, companies that were previously closed to us began opening their doors, and while they didn't necessarily do it happily, we enjoyed what could be tentatively called 'equal opportunity,' if only just barely.

"The reach of the White Fang slowly spread out from Menagerie. What paths were open to us we took, what doors were closed, we forcibly opened. It didn't matter that the largest corporations in Remnant still worked against us; the Faunus, for the first time, were actually succeeding. But a lot like the Humans that ran the most steadfastly discriminatory companies, the White Fang's ideal of a better future didn't necessarily include everybody. The smaller victories only added fuel to the fire. Faunus that were previously against the violence started joining in, and the White Fang continued to become more militant.

She paused to take a deep breath. "That's where I come in. Like I said, I was pretty much born into the White Fang, even before the shift in power. I never had any parents, the White Fang took me in. As they became more violent, I stayed. I was young, scared, and had nowhere else to turn. What was I supposed to do? Staying felt like the only option to me at the time.

"I had a partner and a mentor growing up. Adam Taurus. It may be hard to believe, but he was once a very kind person. He'd pick me up when I was down, we'd watch each other's backs. I don't like to admit it, but I don't think I'd be here if it weren't for him." Blake choked up. "As the group changed, so did he. He fully embraced the new direction the White Fang had taken, justifying it at every turn, doing everything he could to rationalize his actions to me as they became more and more cruel. At first it was self-defense, then it became preemptive strikes against those that would inevitably attack us.

"I should have left the group much sooner than I did. I guess. . . I think I was clinging on to a feeling that Adam was actually right, and my doubts were just internal weakness. It took far too long for me to see the truth. One day while we were robbing a Schnee Dust train, I realized how twisted he had become. Adam became the monster he is now, and I ran away.

"I drifted for a while, hiding where I could, stealing what I could get my hands on. I did my best to survive, and by the time I made it to Beacon, I had nearly been ready to give up. The entrance exams were easy for somebody like me, who grew up outside the Kingdoms. I entered Beacon because I thought that, if anybody, Hunters would be the ones able to make a positive difference in the world.

"Imagine my horror when I found out that one of my teammates was Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, the representation of everything I had worked against my whole life. At first, she was insufferable. A snotty, young, entitled brat with no worldview besides from what the rich have. My opposite in every way. When I accidentally let slip that I was a Faunus and once a member of the White Fang, it went as well as you would expect. I ran before anybody could say anything.

"And then, something happened I never would've expected. Why should I have? My whole life I had spent being treated as something less than equal, why would that suddenly change? My team accepted me, and didn't even ask for explanation. They had such faith in me, that they allowed me, a former thief and worse, to stay in their group. Ruby and Yang, and even Weiss accepted me with open arms. Sure, things were rocky between Weiss and I, but she put in so much effort to see things from my point of view.

Tears were running down her face now, her voice lowered in volume but didn't shake or break. "From then, we grew even closer as a team, no secrets between us. We grew comfortable in our friendships, I even told them about Adam, in time. Then, the Vytal Festival Tournament. In just one day, everything went to hell. The White Fang attacked Beacon, Penny was killed, Pyrrha shot. Adam showed up there. I found him, about to kill a student. I stopped him. But then he focused on me, and managed to put a sword through my stomach." She lifted her shirt to display the jagged scar that May had seen earlier.

"And then Yang saw us. She rushed in before I could tell her not to. But, Adam. . ." She wiped her face, her voice breaking. "Adam saw her attack from a mile away, and cut off her arm. She was unconscious before she hit the ground. I only barely managed to escape before he killed her.

"And then," she whispered, "I ran again. I ran from my responsibility as a teammate, I ran from Yang. It wasn't the first time she's been abandoned by someone close to her, or the second. The time she needed me most, the time my team was counting on me, I ran. I somehow convinced myself that as long as Adam was around, they would be in constant danger. I left them, and I have no idea how they are now." She sighed, her breath catching. "Some team member I am."

"On the train, I often wonder if running away on that day was the right choice. If I had a little more courage, maybe I could've fought him, ended a long line of consequences that were all my fault. I could've spared Yang and saved countless lives. I can't help but wonder if I'm directly responsible for what happened at Beacon."

"Blake," May interrupted, "nobody can blame you for what happened. Beacon was horrible for all of us, but you can't just throw blame on yourself like that. It would've happened anyway, and nobody can blame you for running."

"But that's all I do! It's the only thing I've ever known! When the White Fang became violent and radical, I ran from my doubt because I was scared! When I finally realised how bad Adam had really become, I ran again! I have no conviction, I should've stopped him when I had the chance." The tears began running down her face with renewed force, she began shaking.

"Blake-" May tried to stop her.

"And when he reappeared at Beacon and mortally wounded my teammate, my _partner,_ I ran away again!" She stood up. "All my life, I've been living with flimsy excuses to cover up how much of a coward I really am! I hate myself more every day for the things I can't do. And the worst part is, the things I should be doing are always so clearly outlined in front of me! It's like a lighthouse is in front of me, and my job is to simply walk to the front door and knock on it. But instead, I throw myself sideways off the cliff to drown in the ocean!" She breathed out angrily, clenching her fists. "Ahhhh, what the fuck is wrong with me?"

"Blake," May reached out to grab her hand, but Blake pulled her arm out of reach. "You're being way too hard on yourself, none of this is your fault!"

She glared into the sun. "It is, and we both know it."

"Bla-"

"I think I need to be alone for a while." The fight was suddenly gone from her face, her body slouching as if she were carrying the physical weight of her guilt on her shoulders. "I'll be back later, I just. . . I need to get out of my head."

She turned and ran into the forest, disappearing into the crimson leaves, a black shadow against red. May merely sighed in despair and slumped against the floor of the forest. A sharp twig poked into her back, but she lay still, either unwilling or unable to muster the willpower to move. She wasn't sure if she could tell the difference, or if it really mattered anyway.


	14. Break II

**Happy New Year! It's been a while, sorry about that. I didn't realize that "inconsistent updates" would actually turn out to be "nonexistent updates." But from now on, some semblance of consistency _should_ return. **

**Thanks as always for reading, reviewing, following, and for leaving favorites!**

* * *

Blake ran. She ran until the cold air drove sharp pain into her lungs, until she was gasping for breath and her vision began turning grey around the edges. She ran to escape her responsibility, her fears. The crimson landscape blurred around her, the red slowly replaced with stony browns and the occasional patch of grass. The ground became more rocky the further she went, slowly sloping upward until she was sprinting up a steadily growing incline. Her run eventually slowed, the fight suddenly leaving her limbs when she tripped over a rock and skidded into the ground, facefirst. She didn't have time to catch herself, the ground rushed to meet her.

She lay on the dirt gasping in pain and exhaustion. The tears and sadness that had abated during the run sprung back, staining the dry earth. Her rugged breaths and a slight breeze were all that could be heard. Miserable, she sat up, slowly looking around and taking in her surroundings.

She had run far to the North, and had begun scaling the beaten mountains. If she had gone farther in that direction, she would've come across the cliffs, and far below, the ocean. Forever Fall laid out like a blanket below her, stretching into the distance. Vale looked like a mishmash of multiple colors, the only discernable landmark was the Schnee Spire. And far to the left, the grey and ruined husk of Beacon Academy stood in it's half-destroyed state.

Memories flooded back, unabated, and Blake let her head sink to her knees, arms shielding her from the depressing view. The clearest one was of Yang, during their excursion to Mountain Glenn, almost one year ago. They had been gathered around the campfire, each of them except for Ruby unable to sleep. That had been the first time Blake had mentioned Adam to her teammates. She had told them that she left the White Fang to make the world a better place, and being a Huntress would be the best way for her to do that. But thanks to Dr. Oobleck's questions, her mind had been covered with a shade of doubt. " _When I leave the Academy,_ " she had said, " _how can I endure so many years of hate? What will I do?_ "

Yang was the one who had responded. " _I'm sure you'll figure it out. You're not one to back down from a challenge, Blake._ "

She had disagreed then, but a small spark of hope had been lit in her. She told Yang that she was wrong, that she had run away before from her problems, and that yes, she would run away again. But the faith Yang had in her warmed her.

She had been naive. To think that her teammates had placed so much faith in her to be strong and courageous. To think that she placed so much faith in _herself_ to not be a coward. Looking back, those happier times seemed so long ago. _How far have I fallen? How far will I continue to fall?_ The sunny sky offered no answer.

Thinking back, she realized she had spent a majority of her life with Adam. They had grown up together, fought together. Cried together. Slept together, once or twice. They hadn't shared romance; their bond had been based on unconditional physical and emotional support. When two people grow up with their lives intertwined like that, they came to know each other intimately, inside and out. There were no secrets between them. The only thing Blake had ever hid from Adam was her self-doubt, and when he finally, saw it, it was too late. She had run by that point.

"How different are Adam and I really?" she asked herself, speaking solemnly to the wind. "Up until recently, my whole life has been built around his presence. Even the choices I've made have all been started because of something he did, or could potentially do. Even one of the main reasons I trusted Ruby, Weiss, and Yang, is because they were _not_ Adam. They were his opposite. They _are_ his opposite," she reminded herself, forcing the sudden image of them dead out of her mind. "And that basis of that judgment only proves how deeply ingrained his presence is within me. I can't help but compare him to everything I do or see. How separate can I be if he's so. . . _there,_ all the time?"

She raised her head and let the gentle breeze caress her face, leaving the trails her tears had left slightly colder.

"Can I really stop somebody who has that much power over me and my choices, my personality? At what point am I a separate person from him?"

She stood up, preferring the ache of her muscles to the damning feeling that accompanied not moving. If she could just walk, maybe her head would clear. She began picking her way down the mountain much more carefully, making sure to avoid falling like she had earlier. As she descended, her thoughts wandered slowly away from Adam.

 _May._ The incredibly talented sniper had become a staple part of her life in the last two weeks; she couldn't imagine how impossible her search would've been if it weren't for her help.

"I'm such a terrible person, I can't believe I let her down like that. I should never have let that whole situation happen in the first place." _And even when it counted, I froze up. I couldn't protect her from him._ The regret pooled heavy in her stomach, giving her feel sick with something akin to nausea. She walked faster, hoping to dispel the feeling.

 _She deserves better._

The hours slowly wore on, the cold air becoming first lukewarm, then almost hot. It cooled immediately once more as she walked under the leafy canopy of Forever Fall.

She continued to walk.

The canopy of Forever Fall became more and more sparse, until she was suddenly hit with the full unbridled brilliance of the sun. She shielded her eyes until they adjusted to the harshness, but it was the echoless sound of the wind that clued her in as to where she was. The buildings of Vale became etched out in detail as her eyes focused, confirming what she heard. She had wandered aimlessly for some time, and had just now returned to the cliffs overlooking Vale.

Despite everything wrong with it, the White Fang, the fall of Beacon, and the looting during the night, Vale looked no less the picture of peace, at least from a distance. The skyline remained as it had for the many years before; Schnee Spire still stood tall, the skyscrapers of the Commercial District were unchanged, and the wheat fields still grew on the outskirts. The only real change to the city was the remaining destruction at Beacon Academy. And those ruins, if they weren't rebuilt, would remain there forever. A reminder that the evils of Remnant were a lot closer and more real than just the creatures of Grimm.

Blake sighed. "Here I am, running away again." The city of Vale offered no response to her words. She sighed yet again, expelling all the air from her lungs, then refilling them, hoping to capture the essence of rebirth, renewal. Filling her lungs to the point of bursting, she held onto that air, trying to keep it as fresh as possible. When it finally became stale she let it out, replacing it with another.

Without allowing herself any more time to decide against it, she turned and walked back along the cliffs, back in May's direction. Her mind had cleared a little bit; she finally felt as though she could begin to analyze the situation from a distance.

Blake frowned in thought as she walked, suddenly curious about what Adam had said in regards to May. He had referred to her in much the same way that he had referred to Yang during the fall of Beacon. "I will take everyone you love."

Yang and Blake has shared a close bond during their two years together at Beacon, growing both as friends and partners until their bond became akin to that of sisters. The occasional glance the two got from classmates did little to drive them apart. There had been rumors floating around of course, "Blake and Yang are dating," or, "those two are too close to just be friends," but their relationship hadn't evolved into anything besides a close platonic bond. Blake wasn't sure if it could have, or if she would've been against the idea. But that was in the past; she was more than certain that she'd burned that bridge. She'd be lucky to get even friendship from Yang now that she'd left her.

 _I loved you Blake, and you'll never replace my affections with that of another._ The words sprung into her head, unbidden. She shuddered. Her memory was something she cursed from time to time; she was able to recall the exact tone of Adam's voice in nearly everything he said. Had Adam deliberately insinuated a relationship between the two just to confuse her? If so, she couldn't deny that it was working.

 _Why did you put it that way. . ._ she thought to herself, absentmindedly turning in her walk so that she was heading toward the clearing in which the two had spent the night. _Or did you see something I don't?_

She couldn't deny that she felt strongly about May. Her being literally the only other person she could rely on at the moment almost made it impossible for her not to at least feel something. Especially now, since it was specifically Blake's fault that she had gotten hurt. But besides friendship and mutual reliance, how far did their relationship extend?

Blake recalled the slow dance they had shared. May had been blushing at the time, and her own face was far from its usual pale hue. Was it the lights, the dancing, the music? Or had it been the girl she held in her arms, sharing a romantic dance?

Blake emerged from the trees. May leaned against the bottom of one of them, dozing lightly in the sun, her hat drooping over her face. Blake took in her frame, her red hair. In contrast to her usual driven expression, May's sleeping face was quite peaceful, her hard looks now gave way to a much more relaxed look. Blake's gaze settled on her light pink lips. Although her lower lip had cracked and was lined with a small dab of dried blood, Blake found that it took nothing away from the girl's overall appearance. In fact, May looked positively strange, wrapped as she was in Blake's bloodsoaked jacket, missing pant leg, beanie-covered face. If anyone else saw her, they would be prompted to think _What's this girl's story?_

But May's strange mix of circumstantial apparel was the least of Blake's concern. Instead, she stood still, trying to carefully analyze her feelings. Could it be that she was falling for May? Her heart didn't flutter in excitement when May was close, their relationship built more around mutual goals. But perhaps that was bound to change over time? When she woke up, would May's voice suddenly sound more attractive, her movements become more eye-catching?

Blake, far from having extensive experience with romance, was scared by the idea. _What am I even doing,_ she thought, shaking her head. _I don't even know what real romance is like, and here I am, staring at a sleeping girl I only just met a couple weeks ago. It's not like I slept with her or anything. Well, not technically, I wouldn't necessarily -_ she shook her head. _Shut up, Blake._

She sat down next to May, carefully placing a few feet of distance between them. She did her best to settle into a nap, but her whirling thoughts prevented sleep from taking her easily. Was she beginning to fall for her?

 _This is silly. Go to sleep._

* * *

A clap of thunder jolted her awake. The light was waning; they had apparently slept for most of the day. Blake checked on May, only to find her laying on her side on the ground. She immediately felt bad for not having been closer, so that the girl would've fallen into her lap. _A moot point, though,_ she thought. May was out like a light, soft snores accompanying each breath.

She gently placed her hand on May's shoulder and shook it. "May, wake up."

May grunted, her eyes fluttering open. "Ugh. Wow." She slowly focused her vision on the storm clouds, flinching when a raindrop landed in her eye. "Oh! It's raining."

"Yeah, we should probably think about finding a better shelter, or getting back into town. Good afternoon, by the way."

May shared her smile. "Yeah, good afternoon." She got up from the forest floor, dusting leaves and dirt from Blake's jacket, which was still wrapped around her. Although she turned up her nose at the scent of blood, Blake accepted the garment and threw it around her shoulders in order to protect from the drizzle, which was slowly picking up in intensity.

"I got a text from Yurie while I was passed out," May said.

"Any news?"

"She says she can't talk right now because she doesn't want to seem suspicious to the White Fang. But apparently there's an old hiking trail that goes straight up the cliffs, which would make getting down very easy."

"Oh, that's great news!" Blake exclaimed. "Where is it?" May swiveled until she was facing the same direction they had walked from.

"That way, a few hours past the gondola."

"Well then, we'd better start walking."

As they walked the drizzle turned into rain. Considering the heavy look of the clouds, they were surprised that only rain and lightning were present. It was a perfectly windless storm, a fact for which Blake was thankful. Cold wind would only make the walk more miserable.

The rain turned the leaves and dirt underneath their feet into mush as they plodded along. Somewhere during the walk May began shivering. When Blake tried to offer her jacket for extra warmth, she was declined. "Keep it," she said. "We're both equally wet, no sense in doing useless things." May's leg didn't seem to be giving her a huge amount of trouble, but they moved slowly anyway. Although Blake figured May wouldn't say anything even if it hurt, she didn't want to put her in that position in the first place. They continued on.

In the distance ahead of them the ruins of Beacon loomed, a stark monument to the ruined past they both shared. They wouldn't be able to enter even if they tried, thanks to the Atlas Military security, but it was enough to make Blake uncomfortable. She frowned, sighing. "May, I think I owe you an apology," she began.

" _Blake."_

"No, I know what you mean," she interrupted. "I know it's not my fault. But I kind of want to talk about. . . Beacon. Beacon, and the events leading up to everything that happened."

May hesitated. "If you're sure. . ."

"Besides," Blake continued, "some stories might keep away the cold." May didn't seem inclined to argue.

"True enough," she laughed. Blake stayed silent for another minute before beginning to speak.

"Adam and I grew up together, as members of the White Fang. Both of us didn't have any parents worth mentioning, so the organization became our family. From as early as I can remember, our lives have been. . . intertwined. Just the idea that somebody exists that knows so much about me is frightening. There isn't much he _doesn't_ know, in fact. But even scarier is the fact that he's a horrible person, a savage killer. I hate to admit it, but he has a lot of power over me.

"I've. . . got a problem with running away. I always have. So, when Adam suddenly showed up out of the blue and ruined nearly everything I had tried to build, I panicked. I left my team and ran. Of course I made sure they were okay first, but that's just an excuse to make what I did seem less horrible.

"I think. . . well, in the end, I think I ran from my team because I felt I had failed them. That my own inaction had caused Beacon to be destroyed and Yang to lose her arm. It's something I still blame myself for."

May stayed silent, the sound of Blake's soft voice replaced by the patter of rain on the mud and leaves. "I don't want to be rude, but can I ask a few questions? I'd like to better understand what you're going through."

"Go ahead, I'll do my best to explain."

"How real is the danger that Adam may find your teammates?"

Blake froze midstep. "I-" she stuttered. "I suppose. . . it's not very likely. . ." She hung her head. Rain ran down her face, her hair obscuring her eyes. "It might not be far from the truth to say that I'm really just scared of seeing them. I'm scared to see how they might react to seeing me."

"I'm sure they would want to see you, Blake," May said gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I know I would want to see my team, no matter how badly they thought they had messed up. Especially if they did their best to explain everything."

Blake sighed, shrugging off May's hand. "I'm not. . . too good at talking about my feelings."

"Maybe it's time to learn," she replied with a wistful smile. "Besides, you've done a good job around me."

Blake didn't have a response. The silence between them returned as each walked, buried in their own thoughts. May had been right, however, the talking had certainly helped keep away the bone-chilling cold.

"This is where the trail begins," May suddenly said, pointing off to the left. Sure enough, a small trail marker stuck out of the ground at an angle, barely kept dry by a freestanding roof in need of repair. They huddled underneath it; the sudden absence of rain made them realize how cold they truly were. Blake began shivering, rubbing her arms to try to get warmth back into them.

"We should probably wait to descend until it stops raining. I don't want to risk slipping of the edge."

"Alright," May responded, crouching down slowly and pulling her jacket off. Blake thanked the windless storm for not making the air cold; she would be able to remove her jacket without fear of freezing. Now it was only a matter of waiting out the cold.

"How's your leg?" Blake asked.

"It's alright, I can feel my aura slowly beginning to mend it. Still hurts like hell though, the rain numbed it for a while but once it's dry I won't be having such a good time. The descent is gonna be slow," she warned.

"We can take as long as we like, there's no hurry," Blake assured. "Honestly, not going back is sounding like a better idea the more I think about it."

"I feel ya," May sighed. "But we both have goals that need fulfilling before we can move on. You want to tie up loose ends, and I want to make sure the White Fang doesn't hurt anybody ever again."

Blake nodded in agreement. "This may sound strange, but I'm glad we found each other. This would be so much harder if I didn't have your support." May gave her a strange look as she said that, as if she was trying to parse through a layered message and find the true meaning. She turned away a second later though, cupping her hands around her mouth and breathing warm air into them.

"Agreed. Thanks for your help, Blake."


	15. Healing and Planning

**Hello again! This is a good example of one of those transitional chapters that is necessary, but hard for me to write. The action will be returning next chapter; so don't worry! As it is, enjoy this dialogue-heavy chapter of Fifty Caliber Cat. Many thanks to all who read, review, follow, and favorite!**

* * *

For the first time since the attack, May woke up without feeling residual pain in her leg. It wasn't numbed from the cold either, she had actually managed to stay warm enough throughout the night, thanks to the new pajamas Blake had stolen for her. Although she had insisted that the condition of her leg wasn't Blake's fault, she figured the warm garments were Blake's way of unofficially apologizing. Either way, May was grateful for the warm fabric. As she rolled from the hard mattress, she noticed Blake shivering slightly beside her, still asleep. She made a mental note to invest in a space heater; the approaching winter would only make the one-room apartment more cold.

A full week had passed since the ambush at _Carmine's._ The hike down from the cliffs had taken a full six hours, every bit of the climb laborious and physically intensive. Although they had started when the rain let up, the slippery rocks and May's injured leg made the going even slower than they had anticipated. By the time they reached the bottom, May had been leaning heavily on Blake, being carried more than actually walking. The trip through the city back to the apartment hadn't helped her either; they had taken less-populated roads to ensure they wouldn't run into needless trouble. The end route twisted and turned throughout Vale and by the time they climbed the stairs to the door May was on the verge of blacking out, Blake's support the only thing keeping her standing.

May shook her head and padded to the bathroom, opening the door quietly so as not to disturb Blake's slumber. At least, she tried; the hinges squeaked loudly in protest as they moved. She winced, but Blake didn't seem to have been bothered by the noise.

The dirty mirror reflected May's disheveled appearance as she stepped in front of it. It had taken a full week for May to heal until she was comfortable enough to jog on her injured leg. Normally a wound like the one Carmine had given her would've taken a shorter time to heal, but the cold weather and Blake's sloppy stitching job had extended the mending process.

Her fitful sleep schedule didn't help either; she rarely was able to rest, and when she did, she didn't sleep well. Her nightmares were occurring more and more frequently, to the point that she actively tried to stay awake so she wouldn't be plagued by visions of her dying teammates. A dark circle had formed underneath her good eye, a testament to her restlessness. Her brush with death hadn't done her any favors, physically or mentally.

She sighed in defeat and turned away from the mirror before pulling off her beanie. Her pajamas went next, crumpled in a heap on the floor. Although she was fully naked, she couldn't muster the energy to close the bathroom door. _Maybe the steam from the shower will heat up the apartment,_ she justified, stepping onto the cold tiles. She turned on the water to its highest setting, immediately jumping out with an angry hiss when she was drenched by a deluge of ice-cold water. She resorted to shivering angrily against the wall in a towel as the water slowly began to heat.

Blake poked her head around the doorway, politely averting her eyes when she saw May's halfhearted attempt at modesty. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," May snapped. "Just trying to get warm." Blake frowned, but nodded silently and ducked out of view without closing the door. Her hand snaked back in a moment later, grabbing the handle and pulling it shut. May realized she was grinding her teeth together in anger and forced herself to relax her jaw. She stood in front of the mirror a second time, leaning her forehead against the glass, speaking quietly to herself.

"Calm the fuck down, May. She didn't do anything wrong. You have no right to snap at her, not after everything she's done for you." She glared into her reflection's eye as if trying to make herself understood, then abruptly turned away.

 _Now get in the shower May,_ she commanded, steeling herself before she stepped into the rush of water. It had heated up by then, and for the first time in days, May's sigh was one of happiness.

* * *

Blake sat on the edge of the bed, unsure of what she should be doing. Now that May's wound had healed and she no longer needed taking care of, she felt restless. Gambol Shroud was cleaned, reloaded, all her dust ammunition was organized, and the apartment recently cleaned. Yet still, her hands itched to do something.

After getting over the initial fear of meeting Adam and the guilt that accompanied letting May get injured, her mind became a whirlwind of activity. For the last week she had been able to put all her energy into helping May feel as comfortable as possible, but now that she wasn't needed as a glorified nurse any longer, her mind felt scattered and her hands shook, urging her to _move._

With May's permission she had taken Yurie's phone number and contacted her a few times, trying to find a time for them to meet up and exchange information. Yurie still had May's rifle as well, Blake felt bad for leaving May without her weapon for such an extended period of time.

Unfortunately, Yurie remained effectively tied down and subject to the movements of the White Fang, unable to break away on her own for any decent periods of time. It frustrated Blake, but she understood the older girl's need for caution; she was their only source of information and if she was caught giving away information about the White Fang's plans, death would not come quickly to her. Blake stood and began pacing, walking back and forth across the center of the room.

The creak of the bathroom door interrupted her thoughts. She turned to see May, who stood in the doorway wrapped in a towel. May opened her mouth to speak but then closed it again, apparently trying to find the correct words. "I'm sorry for snapping at you," she finally managed, her eye lowered.

"Were you worried about that the entire time?" May nodded dejectedly. "Well, you don't need to. I get it, It's been a. . . rough week."

"You can say that again," May sighed in response.

"How is your leg feeling?" Blake asked. May turned to show her the thin white line on her calf.

"It's pretty much healed. Walking doesn't hurt at all anymore, and my aura is fully active again. Say what you will, but at least that bitch made a pretty clean cut. There's not even much of a scar." She traced the line with a finger. Noticing Blake's doubtful expression, she balanced on her left leg so she could rotate her ankle this way and that while flexing her calf muscles. "See? All better."

"Just. . . take it easy." May rolled her eye.

"Sure _Mom._ " She turned away and grabbed a hair clip from the bathroom, placing it in her hair so the left side of her face was covered. Blake averted her eyes; she knew May's left eye had some sort of history associated with it, and while she was still curious, prying into her personal affairs without permission was not something she would consider doing. "Any word from Yurie today?"

May had done her best to keep up-to-date on the White Fang situation, but healing from her wound and recovering physically had taken the majority of her mental power. Blake had taken over most of the correspondence with Yurie in her stead.

"Not at the moment," Blake responded, shaking her head. May merely nodded, this was nothing new. She padded over to the closet, pulling an outfit from her side of the space, holding her clothing in her arms for a moment before giving Blake a pointed look. Blake quickly turned away while May dropped the towel and began putting on her clothes.

"You're good," she finally said with a sigh. Blake turned back to her to catch her running a hand through her hair, her fingers barely covering up her left eye. Before she could attempt to catch a glimpse of the left side of May's face, her attention was dragged downward. May had apparently given up on buttoning her shirt halfway through, explaining her sigh; the sight of May's supple skin brought color to Blake's cheeks. She forced her eyes back up as May coughed. "Do we have any food?"

"Just packaged noodles, I'm afraid. I still haven't gone shopping."

"I'm used to worse," May said. Blake cringed a little at the comment, but realized it wasn't a critique of her hospitality but more of a sad fact stated plainly. After hanging up the towel, May grabbed herself a bowl and prepared the noodles, sitting on the floor with the warm broth once it was finished heating.

They passed the next half hour in silence aside from May's intermittent slurping. Blake spent the time on her scroll, scouring the local news sites for anything related to the White Fang. Having already checked the news once while May was in the shower, she found nothing new.

The silence was interrupted by a knock on the front door. May froze, a forkful of noodles halfway to her mouth. Blake shrugged and walked to the door. "It's probably the landlord or something." Checking the peephole, she gave a small "Oh," and opened the door to admit their visitor. Yurie stepped across the threshold, giving a bright smile.

"Hello!" she greeted them in a singsong voice. May put her fork back in the bowl, noodles forgotten.

"Yurie? What're you doing here? And how did you find this place?" Yurie looked puzzled for a moment before pointing at Blake.

"She gave me the address. And hi!"

"You gave her your address?!" May exclaimed, jumping to her feet and balling her fists angrily. "Blake, what the hell? She could've been tailed!"

"May, we can trust her. She's our informant, after all," Blake defended.

"I know she's trustworthy, Blake! That's not the issue here!" she snapped back.

"Easy there girlfriend," Yurie interjected, standing between them with hands up in mock surrender. "Do you really think I can't shake a tail? I'm not some lame two-bit villain."

"Are you sure you weren't followed?" May growled.

"Let me put it this way. I've been your informant on the movement of the White Fang for more than two months, and I still haven't been caught." Blake closed the door behind Yurie as she stepped further into the apartment. "And besides, my information is worth the risk, you know that."

May relented. "Fine. As long as you're sure." Yurie's expression softened as she dropped her joking attitude.

"I know what I'm doing May, you don't need to be so worried." May sighed and fell back onto the bed, all of her fight gone.

"I'm not just worried about us you know. I want to make sure you're being safe too."

"Aww, you're so sweet! But you don't need to worry about me! Besides, I have something here that you might like." Yurie reached an arm over her shoulder and pulled Lilac from where it had been slung over her back.

"You brought Lilac back!" May surged to her feet once again, this time in happiness. She accepted the rifle by wrapping her arms around it, as if giving the weapon a vigorous hug. "Thank you so much, I've missed her!" Blake found herself smiling at the situation, May's attachment to her weapon reminded her very much of Ruby and her loving reverence for her sniper-scythe Crescent Rose.

"I'm sorry I haven't been able to deliver it sooner, the White Fang has been ordering a bunch of patrols recently, and since I'm the leader of one of the patrol groups, well. . . Makes it difficult."

"You're the leader of a patrol? Did you recently get promoted?" Blake asked, ears flicking with the question. May looked up from the floor, where she had begun disassembling her rifle in preparation for cleaning.

"Yeah, apparently they trust me. I don't like the idea that I've been helping them enough to warrant a promotion, but. . ." Yurie trailed off, shrugging. "It means I get a larger paycheck and easier access to information without as much risk involved. So, I guess it's worth it." She turned to May. "How's your leg?"

"It's better now, thanks to Blake," May responded, wiggling her toes in demonstration. Yurie nodded in approval.

"Good, because I actually have some new information. I managed to skim a couple documents from the Lieutenant's desk while he was out; here, I made photocopies," she said, kneeling on the floor and pulling her backpack off. She unzipped it and pulled out a small file. "It isn't much, but I thought this might be of interest to you."

Blake joined them on the floor, placing herself so the three of them formed a triangle around the file. Yurie opened it and spread out the sheets of paper. "Basically, the Lieutenant and a small group of his guards will be visiting a casino two days from now. It's not going to be a friendly visit; from the looks of it, this is an extortion job. It's part of the White Fang's protection racket in the southern part of the Commercial District."

"If it's an unfriendly protection racket, that means the casino must be a human one?" May asked.

"That's right. The casino is called _Silver Pocket's Lining,_ and most, if not all, of the clientele are human. Because it's close to the edge of the Commercial District the White Fang is able to visit without too much legal trouble from the local authorities," she clarified.

"That makes sense," Blake said, "if it were a Faunus casino, the White Fang wouldn't resort to extortion. No point in alienating their own race."

Yurie leaned her head on her left hand, fingers tucked under her tusk. "Here's a layout of the building," she said, indicating one of the sheets of paper. "I was thinking you could take out the Lieutenant's guards and then grab him. Hopefully you can get some information out of him."

"We'd be doing the casino a favor if we did that," May said. "It would save them from having to pay the White Fang for protection. Two birds with one stone."

"Not necessarily," Blake countered. "If we interfere with the White Fang, we could bring their wrath to the casino in full. They could come back next time with reinforcements, especially if the casino is the location that their Lieutenant disappeared. It would be all too easy for them to pin the blame on the humans that own the place."

May paused thoughtfully. "Sure, but you can't make eggs without breaking eggshells," she shrugged. "It's unfortunate, but it _is_ an effort toward taking out the leader of the White Fang. I'd say it's worth it. And it's not like we have any other information to use," she said, checking with Yurie, who shook her head in agreement. "This might be our only chance at top-level info."

"So, what?" Blake asked. "Do we just waltz in and take them out? If it's like any other human casino, getting our weapons in is going to be pretty hard."

"True," Yurie chimed in, "maybe you two should wait to ambush them outside?"

May shook her head. "No, if we're inside we can stay hidden among the crowd. We don't know how they'll be entering the building, only that they're guaranteed to be there. If we wait outside, there's a chance we could miss them. And I think I can probably get our weapons in, since I'm human," she said quietly. "They're much less likely to stop a huntress that isn't a Faunus." Blake and Yurie shared a subdued glance. "Besides, I look like a mostly harmless girl, I wouldn't raise too much suspicion," she added. "We could even have you distract them by having you try to enter with a weapon of your own," she said to Yurie.

Blake sighed. "Would you be willing to help us with this?" she asked Yurie. Yurie frowned, hesitating.

"Maybe if we get there way early. I can't afford to be seen by the White Fang. But what happens if they let me in?" She and Blake looked at May for an answer.

"They won't," she answered grimly. "This is a casino, a place where only the greediest humans gather. Although it's technically illegal for them to turn you away because you're a Faunus, they'll look for any other reason they can possibly find to deny you entrance. A weapon would be more than enough reason. Faunus aren't generally known for having spare gambling money, after all."

Blake frowned, running her fingers across the casino blueprints. "Even so, walking in with two sets of weapons is bound to attract some attention." May and Yurie stayed silent, having run out of ideas. "Oh!" Blake suddenly exclaimed pointing at the blueprints, "it says here that the ceiling is glass! May, you could get up to the rooftop and wait with our weapons there."

"Well sure, I could, but how does that help us get inside?" Blake was already nodding, having come up with a solution.

"It's not like we need our weapons before the action unfolds. I can get inside and you can watch from the rooftop with your rifle. When I give the signal, you can bust through the glass and drop down with your semblance. We can hit them before they know what's happening."

May looked over the plans carefully before smiling her approval. "That's a much better idea, good thinking. And that way, we don't need to put you at risk," she addressed Yurie. "You've been a great help to us, anything we can do to minimize the risk of you getting caught should be a priority."

"You'll have to do it fast," Yurie cautioned. "Any commotion will lead the police to investigate, you'll need to take out the guards and escape with the Lieutenant without wasting time."

"I can't imagine it'll take long. We've got the element of surprise."

"Who is Adam's Lieutenant?" Blake suddenly asked Yurie. "Is he by chance a big burly guy with a deep voice?"

"Tattoos, and a mask that covers his whole face?" Blake confirmed with a nod. "Yep, that's the one," Yurie continued. "Crazy fucking psycho with a chainsaw."

May stiffened, dropping the magazine she was holding. It hit the floor with a dull _clack,_ multiple dust cartridges spilling out and rolling away. She paid no attention, instead turning to Yurie and Blake, eyebrow drawn up in an expression that was equal parts horror and anger. "What." She practically hissed the word.

Blake and Yurie shared a look. "May, you're as white as a sheet, are you okay?"

May glared silently, her balled fists beginning to tremble. "You said the Lieutenant has a chainsaw?"

Blake and Yurie shared worried looks. "Yeah."

"Good," she said grimly. I've been looking for him." Blake looked to Yurie for explanation, but she merely lowered her head, her expression sorrowful. Blake looked at May again.

"I don't want to pry into your business," she said haltingly as if the wrong words would make her the focus of May's ire, "but once this is over, would you mind explaining to me what's going on?"

"When we're finished with him, he's mine. I won't negotiate on this." Her eye narrowed, as if issuing a challenge to Blake.

"When we're finished," she conceded. May closed her eye with a huff of air.

"Thanks for not fighting me on this." May lowered her hands into her lap to hide their shaking from the other two. "I promise I'll explain after."

"Okay. I'll trust you on this, okay?" Blake finally said.

After a short silence Yurie got up from the floor, zipping her backpack shut. The mood, which had earlier been focused but playful, was now very suddenly soured. Blake couldn't blame her for wanting to leave. Blake stopped her before she reached the door. "How much for the information?"

"It's free. We're in this together."

"True, but you still need money."

"Thanks to the promotion, I can afford to help you guys charge free," she said, adding in a wink. Her expression became serious again as she shut the door. "Be careful out there."

"We'll keep in touch," Blake said, closing the door and throwing the deadbolt. May turned back to her rifle, still loading magazines with cartridges. Only now, her mouth was twisted into a snarl. "May, we need to play this very carefully. The Lieutenant is a dangerous guy."

"We're dangerous too." May shot back without sparing her a glance. "And we've got something worth fighting for."


	16. Fate Has Its Teeth In You

**Hello all! I had a wonderful time writing this, I hope you have the same amount of fun reading! For such a dynamic chapter, this one also contains a large amount of setup. Look forward to where we go in the next couple weeks.**

 **Thanks to all that read, review, follow, and favorite!**

* * *

"It looks like we're here, May," Blake said, stopping to look upward.

"Huh? Oh yeah, guess so," she responded, snapping herself out of her thoughts. She joined Blake in admiring the casino where they would be enacting their plan, the _Silver Pocket's Lining._

The blueprints they had pondered over two days earlier truly did little to convey the building's sense of majesty. The casino was designed to look like a giant cube with slightly offset ends, so the longer sides curved slightly, evoking images of ocean waves. Gigantic window panes lined the faces of the building; May could see at least three jewel-bedecked chandeliers through the immense panels. Even from the outside, the place spoke of wealth and winnings.

"Funny how a ritzy place like this could be held under White Fang control," May mused.

"Actually, this place isn't even that nice compared to some of the casinos in the Upper-Class District, or even in the Commercial District center," Blake corrected. May looked at her in surprise.

"Really? Maybe it's because I'm not from here, but this place is more classy than any of the casinos in Vacuo."

Blake laughed dryly. "Well if there's one thing I've learned, it's that greed has few limits."

"Even so," said May, returning her attention to the _Silver Pocket's Lining,_ "you'd think that they'd have adequate security to help protect it or something."

"Yes," Blake agreed sadly, "but its location doesn't help it very much. And the White Fang has proven time and time again that they're more than willing to burn places like this to the ground. Even if the building itself is insured, the owners probably see the White Fang's protection racket as a necessary loss, though they might not like it. If they refused to pay and the casino was destroyed as a result, they'd lose money in the long run while they waited for it to be rebuilt."

"And here we have Blake, a renowned teacher with a Doctorate in Microeconomics," mocked May, attempting to lighten the mood.

"That's _Professor_ Blake to you," she growled back without missing a beat. They shared a laugh before Blake's expression returned to its regular focused look. "We'd better split," she said, reaching behind her to produce Gambol Shroud and hand it over. She patted the jacket pocket where her scroll was. "I'll keep in touch."

"Sounds good, let me know what's going on from your point of view," May said, holding out her fist for a fistbump. Blake bumped it.

"Good luck."

"You too." May watched her fade into the throng of people in front of the casino, before noticing that Blake had tied a ribbon around her cat ears. Her stomach sunk a little. _What kind of world do we live in that hiding who you are has to be necessary?_ she wondered, clenching a fist. Suddenly, the casino didn't look so wonderful to her. May began walking around it, making her way to the back.

The rear side of the cuboid building did not have any glass paneling, and looked rather out of place in contrast to the three decadent sides that were in plain sight. May passed a large parking garage, multiple vast propane tanks, and an excessive amount of dumpsters. When she was sure she was out of sight, she placed her hand against the wall of the building and activated her semblance, feeling the familiar drain as it cut into her aura reserves. With a jump she sailed up the side of the building, reaching the roof above the third story moments later.

Instead of immediately jumping onto the roof, May deactivated her semblance a second before she reached the top of the building, letting her leftover upward momentum carry her to the railing. She gripped it tightly, dangling fifty feet above the concrete below. The risk of encountering security on the roof was a completely unknown factor, so May peeked over the edge to check for guards. She held her position until her arms began shaking, then pulled herself over, having not seen any movement.

Panting, she pulled out her scroll and established a commlink with Blake. "Blake, are you in?" she whispered. "I just got to the rooftop, but there aren't any guards here." There was a short moment of silence before Blake responded.

" _Yep, I got in without any trouble. I guess they didn't think to check under my bow, since nobody mentioned my being a Faunus."_ There was a momentary lull in her speaking. " _You said there wasn't any security on the roof?"_

"Right. Although now that I think of it, they're probably all downstairs to make sure the meeting with the White Fang doesn't go poorly."

" _Ah, that seems likely. How's the view from up there?"_

"I'm just getting to it," May responded, approaching the immense glass skylight that took up a large center portion of the rooftop. Kneeling, she placed her scroll on the ground and then pulled Lilac from her back, setting the rifle down. "I've got a pretty good view," she said, peering through the glass. "I can see all the way to the ground level. A few of the chandeliers are in my way, but they won't cause a huge problem."

" _That's good. Can you get a window open?"_

"I think so," she grunted, prying at a glass panel from the corner. The skylight wasn't meant to be opened manually, being far too high to operate by hand. May wrenched at it with both hands until it popped loose. "Yep, I got it. I think I broke the mechanism that's supposed to open it, but that's fine. And worst case scenario, I could just shoot through it to make an entrance."

" _Good. Do you see me? I'm making my way to the middle now. I won't wave, but I should be fairly recognizable."_

May strained her eyes for a minute until she saw the telltale flash of white from Blake's jacket. "Yep, I've got eyes on you. See any White Fang yet? I can't." She watched Blake turn around, scanning the lower floor.

" _No, they must not be here yet."_

"Alright, keep your eyes open," May responded. "I'm going to get a sniping point set up, hang tight."

* * *

Blake put her scroll back into her pocket, opting to look around and explore the interior of the casino while May got set up on the roof. She moved carefully among the crowd, making sure not to bump into anyone. _Silver Pocket's Lining_ was much like any other large casino. Long rows of slot machines took up one side of the spacious room, beckoning patrons over with flashing lights and loud noises, ready to take advantage of the gamblers' lack of self-control. Next to the rows of slot machines stood a group of roulette tables, arranged in a slightly spread apart checkerboard pattern. Rowdy patrons leaned over each table, their eyes chasing the ball as it rolled around the dish, like cats that couldn't stop chasing a laser pointer.

The other portion of the floor featured a long bar that was also lit with neon lights, long rows of spirits lined up in straight lines with large labels facing outward. Of course, the large majority of the labels featured the Schnee Dust Company's signature snowflake. Blake doubted that there wasn't a major industry the Schnee family _didn't_ have their claws in.

The two floors above the ground floor were less crowded, reserved mostly for patrons that had temporarily tired from gambling. To accommodate, these levels were mostly taken up by large tables and smaller bars. To say the upper floors were completely cut off from the energy of the first floor would be inaccurate, however, thanks to the fact that they were glorified balconies; one would simply need to lean over the railing to see down to the first floor.

" _Alright Blake, I'm set up,"_ came May's voice. Blake held her scroll to her ear again, descending a staircase to return to the first floor. " _Where are you?"_

"I'm just getting back to the first floor," she responded, descending a staircase and walking until she was once again near the middle of the room. "You should be able to see me at the middle again."

" _Yep, I've got eyes on you. Find anything important yet?"_

"Not at the moment," Blake said, scanning the room again. "I think we got here early, I haven't seen anybody that resembles the White Fang." She was interrupted as a waiter approached her, holding a tray.

"Good evening, miss. May I interest you in a champagne?" He must've noticed her expression because he quickly clarified, "It's complimentary, of course." She took it, nodding her thanks. She made sure he was gone before she spoke to May.

" _What just happened?"_ May asked.

"Sorry, I was offered a drink. Go on?"

" _I'm thinking it might be easiest to follow the White Fang out after they collect their payment."_

"But what about saving the owners' money?" Blake asked, frowning. After all, May had been the one who had brought it up in the first place.

" _If we attack inside, people will definitely see us. I didn't think of it before, but we should probably remain as anonymous as possible. Also, I can't very well fire into a crowd like this."_

Blake sighed into the microphone, her voice crackling over the speakers. "I should've thought of that. Alright, but let's play it by ear. The longer we wait to make our move, the smaller window of time we have to do it."

" _Sounds good. It would be a shame if- oh."_ May paused for a second. " _Heads up. I see a group coming in from the entrance,"_ she warned. " _See 'em?"_

Blake turned and narrowed her eyes against the bright lights of the chandeliers. A group of masked Faunus dressed in the combat armor of the White Fang was pushing its way through the crowd. At the head was an immense man with a mask that covered his entire face. Once the crowd noticed the presence of his group, the patrons parted like water, as if they were fish and the White Fang were a group of bloodthirsty sharks. The casino went silent, the loud conversations giving way to fearful whispers. The slot machines refused to quiet down, their loud noises clashing dissonantly with the greater atmosphere of dread.

"May, it's the White Fang," she whispered. "Be ready for anything."

" _I've got your back. Don't go silent on me."_

The White Fang group walked slowly to the center of the floor, bystanders hastily getting out of their way to clear a space. Blake let herself meld with the crowd, standing so she was mostly out of view. Although she knew the possibility was low, being spotted by the Lieutenant would ruin their element of surprise. "There are seven of them," she whispered.

" _Got it. I'm checking the other areas to make sure there aren't more hidden where we can't see, but if they're undercover I won't be able to help much._

The Lieutenant held up a closed fist, signalling his group of guards to stop. His deep voice boomed across the hall. "You know why I'm here," he growled, carefully looking around the room. "Come out now and there won't be any trouble." People shied away under his gaze; Blake lowered her head while his eyes passed over the people near her. A cough came from somewhere in the back of the room, attracting the attention of the crowd.

An old man with white hair, shorter in stature, weaved his way through the thickly clustered people. With him came a young Faunus boy with floppy donkey ears who was carrying a large metal case.

" _He's a Faunus!"_ May exclaimed.

"Yeah," Blake replied weakly. By bringing a young Faunus with him, the owner obviously hoped to use the boy as a sort of show of peace, and also an ideological shield. He probably figured that the Lieutenant would be less likely to hurt a member of his own species. _You don't know the Lieutenant very well, though,_ Blake thought, cringing. The Lieutenant was not the type of man to be swayed by such a presentation. His sadistic personality would probably label the owner's audacity as an insult, or perhaps he'd see the boy as an amusing plaything. _Probably both._

"I have what you're here for," the man said, voice quivering. "Caramel, the case, if you would." The boy placed the attaché case on the ground, letting go with trembling hands. He began stepping back, until the Lieutenant growled.

"Open it, boy."

"Y-yes sir," the boy went white as he got to on his knees behind the case. His hands shook so badly that he fumbled with the latches for much longer than necessary, before finally opening it to reveal neatly arranged stacks of Lien. The Lieutenant snapped his fingers, commanding one of his men to kneel before the case. Caramel rushed to his feet and stumbled backwards, choking on his breath as if he were about to pass out.

Silence exerted itself over the room once again as the White Fang guard counted the stacks of Lien. Eventually, he turned to the Lieutenant. "It's all here sir."

"Then you must've counted wrong," he growled back. The owner and Caramel shared a wide-eyed look.

"W-whatever do you mean, sir?" the owner stuttered. "It's all there, all ten thousand Lien." The Lieutenant began laughing, his whole body shaking with the force of his breaths. He did not bend over as he laughed, still towering over everybody else in the room. He cut his laughter suddenly, taking a large step toward the owner.

"Were you _not_ aware that our prices have tripled?"

"T-tripled?! Sir, we can't possibly pay such an amount on short notice. . ." the old man trialed off as the Lieutenant jerked his own head from side to side, bones making an audible cracking noise. "But, I'm sure we can work something out don't you Caramel?" he corrected quickly without taking a breath.

"Of course!" Caramel squeaked in agreement, nodding his head vigorously, his ears flopping about.

" _Blake, what the hell's happening down there?!"_ May hissed.

"The Lieutenant just asked for triple price!" Blake whispered. "This could go south any second, be ready!"

The Lieutenant stepped forward again, placing a foot on the attaché case, slamming it closed with his heel. "Did you miss the memo? Or are you trying to cheat the White Fang?" he snarled. The owner dropped to his knees as if struck, holding his hands together in a prayer for mercy. Caramel fell beside him, imitating his position.

"No sir, please, this was just an honest mistake. I swear by my life we would never do anything to cheat the White Fang!" the owner pleaded desperately. Tears began to form at the edges of Caramel's eyes as they continued begging for leniency.

The Lieutenant was not convinced. With an impossibly fast motion he reached down and grabbed hold of the owner's throat, hoisting him to his feet. The man's toes scrabbled for purchase on the smooth floor as he attempted to struggle free, in vain. As the breath started leaving his lungs, his struggling lessened in force.

" _Blake, I've got a clear shot. I'm going to take it."_

"Not yet!" Blake hissed back urgently, "give it a couple more seconds, the Lieutenant won't kill him." May growled at her over the line but held her fire.

Holding the owner high in the air for a moment, the Lieutenant threw him violently to the ground. The man hit the tile and slid for a moment. The bystanders watched with held breaths until the man began choking and coughing, finally getting air back into his lungs. He retched on the floor, the splatter echoing, before shakily getting back to his knees, his legs threatening to buckle under his weight.

"Please sir," he whispered hoarsely, "I'll get you the money. Just don't hurt me."

The Lieutenant's face was covered by his mask, but Blake could sense the grin in his voice. "I'm done with you. You're too old to make a good example." The owner sighed in relief at the words, crumpling to the floor.

"Thank you, sir, thank you! I'll get you your money, thank you," he whispered, tears and snot running down his face. "I won't forget your kindness." He continued his whispering, bowing his head until his forehead met the floor.

The Lieutenant faced the boy. "Why did you bring a Faunus to this meeting?" The owner looked up miserably from the floor. "Did you think that I'd be less cruel just because you brought him here?" he asked, placing a heavy hand around Caramel's ears, preventing escape with a vice-like grip. It proved to be unnecessary, the boy was frozen to the floor, eyes wide.

"Please, don't hurt the boy, he's innocent!"

"Well, that sounds to me like quite a double standard," the Lieutenant responded, turning to his men. "After all, what good is there in bringing a meatshield to a fight and then not using it?" His men began laughing along with him, cutting off their voices as soon as the Lieutenant turned away. He pulled a white box-like contraption from his back. Blake recognized the hilt and blade section of his signature chainsaw.

"Well then, perhaps I should give this establishment a more _permanent_ reminder about what happens when you cross the White Fang," he snarled, glee evident in his voice. With the touch of a button, the blade of his chainsaw sprung to full length, revving to life. He held the teeth within inches of Caramel's face. "Don't let your tears rust my blade, boy. Salt water isn't good for weapon upkeep." The teeth began spinning. "But blood is fine!"

"May, now! Take the shot!" Blake yelled into her scroll, but May was speaking simultaneously.

" _Screw it, I'm killing him."_

A gunshot echoed through the casino, the Lieutenant's chainsaw forcibly knocked wide and away from the boy's face. He let go of Caramel's ears in surprise and whirled around wildly, searching the crowd. The boy fell to the ground unconscious, finally succumbing to his fear.

"Find whoever did that, and bring them to me!" he roared, slamming his chainsaw into the tile floor with one hand. The stone gave way like paper, sending bits of shredded rock flying.

"Yes sir!" the White Fang guards yelled back, hoisting their machine guns into ready position.

Another gunshot echoed, and five of the White Fang guards turned to their sixth companion in horror, staring at the place his head used to be. Blood splattered onto the tiles and those in the front row of the crowd.

It started with a single panicked yell, and suddenly the entire crowd was screaming and running away, stepping over and trampling each other in a mad dash for the exits. Blake's champagne was knocked from her hands. Another gunshot came from above, the latest bullet exploding against the chest of the Lieutenant with a fiery flash. He yelled while brushing the flames from his chest, unhurt.

"We've got a sniper up above!" one of the guards yelled. At his words the other four aimed their machine guns upward and began firing up at the glass. Particles of sharp window pane rained down on the floor, shattering on the tiles with crystalline sounds. With the last of the stragglers just leaving the floor, the main hall had cleared out quite a bit.

"May, I need my weapon!" Blake shouted into her scroll, hoping to be heard above the gunfire. The louder sound of May's rifle had ceased, Blake could only hope that she hadn't been hit by any stray bullets.

" _Coming down now!"_ her voice came through the scroll. Shielding her eyes to look up at the glass, a flash of black caught her attention. Gambol Shroud tumbled end over end as it fell from the glass ceiling, picking up speed. The White Fang gave a couple startled yells as it entered their line of sight.

Gambol Shroud landed point-downward on the tile, bouncing up. Dislodged by the shock of the impact, the pistol portion of the blade ejected from the cleaver, splitting the weapon into its separated form. Blake was ready. She rocketed forward as soon as it hit the floor, reaching out and catching both pieces from midair in one smooth motion as she darted between them.

The White Fang guards were not ready. They barely had time to react before Blake was in their midst, summoning two clones to add to the pandemonium. Two of the guards fired wildly at the clones as Blake attacked the others, slashing upward to knock one's weapon aside before spinning to cut at him from the opposite direction. Preserving the momentum, she jumped into a spinning kick that smashed through the man's aura and sent him sideways into his companion. They fell in a tangled heap.

Without pause, Blake spun into a crouch, firing a quick salvo of dust bullets into the chest of another guard. His aura shattered halfway through; he fell to the ground with six distinct holes in his body.

The final three guards converged on Blake, her element of surprise gone. They formed a rough triangle around her, pulling blades from their backs to prepare for close combat. Blake spread her stance out, ready to jump in any direction at the first sign of an attack. From the corner of her vision, she barely had time to make note of the Lieutenant's position. He seemed occupied, attempting to pull a rifle from the corpse of one of his guards. When he pulled upward, the strap refused to break, hauling the lifeless body into the air. The Lieutenant didn't waste any time in sawing through the body and strap in one motion to free the rifle, apparently unfazed by the blood that splashed onto his clothing. He flipped the weapon in his hand and took aim at the roof, kept busy by May's carefully placed sniper fire.

Blake instantly regretted looking in his direction. As soon as her back was turned a White Fang guard leapt at her from behind, swinging her machete in a wide horizontal arc. Blake barely had time to drop to her knees to avoid the blow, which had been made with the intent to decapitate. Thanks to the slash being diverted downward halfway through, it lacked the power it normally would have, but Blake still yelled in pain as the blade collided with the top of her head, ripping the ribbon from her cat ears and putting a decent dent in her aura.

Her attacker was immediately put down with a chop to the throat, Blake followed up with a knee to the chin, knocking the woman out. Without checking behind her she created a clone of herself and dove to the side, narrowly avoiding a hail of gunfire.

With their companion out of commission the final two guards had opted to split up, each dropping a weapon so one held only a rifle and the other only his machete. While a long and short-range team would've been effective against many, Blake knew how to deal with it. _I'll grab the machete user and use him as a shield until I can close the distance._ While such cutthroat use of life would normally be out of the question, desperate times called for desperate measures, and Blake was solely relying on survival instinct at this point.

As she was about to enact her plan, the rifle-toting guard's chest expanded suddenly before exploding outward. Halfway through the explosion a mass of ice formed at the epicenter, spreading outward in lethal blood-tinted spikes. The force of the blast slammed the guard into the floor. Blake turned in surprise as footsteps approached from behind.

"May, what're you doing here?" she yelled, placing herself between the final guard and May, holding Gambol Shroud at the ready. " _It's too dangerous for you to be down here!"_ she wanted to yell, but was stunned into silence as May darted past her, refusing to slow.

The final White Fang guard looked about as surprised as Blake must have. His rifle had dropped low, his mouth agape at the sight of a girl with a sniper rifle rushing straight towards him. May held no such hesitation, bringing her rifle to her shoulder without breaking stride and firing two shots in quick succession. The guard's yell died in his throat.

May jumped over his corpse before it hit the ground, changing her aim and firing two more shots from her position in midair at the Lieutenant before landing in a roll, coming up on one knee, rifle ready to deliver more punishment.

"May! Get back, he's too dangerous!" Blake yelled again. Fearing her words would be in vain, she began sprinting forward, hoping that the Lieutenant would consider her the larger threat. If she could just reach him quickly, he wouldn't be able to strike at May. She threw the bladed handgun portion of Gambol Shroud as a distraction, but he batted it away without sparing her a glance, still moving.

She did not make it in time. The Lieutenant sprinted forward, bearing down on May with his chainsaw, swinging it in a blisteringly fast downward arc at her head.

Perhaps sensing her mistake, May's eyes widened as she held her rifle with both hands in front of her horizontally to block the blow. She gasped and staggered as it connected, her left knee going straight into the marble floor, cracking it.

Her mouth moved to say something, but her words were stolen from her again as the Lieutenant pressed his attack, forcing May to block a swing from the side. The chainsaw roared, the spinning teeth ripping her rifle from her grasp and throwing it across the room. Still holding it for a moment, May sailed with it, landing on her side with a pained yell.

Blake instantly recognized what had happened. To keep her weapon intact under the force of the Lieutenant's chainsaw, May had extended her aura into her weapon to reinforce it. The only problem was that now she had expended a large amount of energy keeping it together, and it was far out of her reach. That combined with the amount of aura it took to power her semblance, May would not be able to stop the next chainsaw slash from cutting through her aura and tearing into her skin.

"You're going to die here," the Lieutenant snarled, raising his chainsaw overhead. The teeth began spinning along the edge at incredible speeds. May looked up in horror.

Right as the Lieutenant roared and flexed all the muscles in his upper body, Blake made her move.

Crossing the blade portions of Gambol Shroud, she jumped in front of May, intercepting the Lieutenant's attack. The force of the blow drove her to her knees, she could feel her aura straining as her wrists threatened to snap from the pressure.

"May, run!" she yelled, effectively held to the floor as she fought to keep the teeth of the chainsaw from getting through her guard. May took this time to get to her feet.

The Lieutenant lifted the chainsaw for a brief moment, only to lean backward and slam his heavy boot into Blake's chest. She flew in the opposite direction and smashed into May, whose smaller form did little to cushion the impact. They hit the floor a second later, sliding on the tiles. May scrabbled to get to her feet while Blake got to her hands and knees, fighting for breath. Her aura hadn't been depleted yet, but the kick to her chest had knocked the wind out of her. She gasped on the floor until May grabbed her by the armpit. "Blake, get up," she commanded, a harsh edge to her voice.

Blake kept her eyes on the Lieutenant, although his figure swam as her vision stabilized. In her peripheral, she could make out May picking up her rifle, the pair having landed near it. As the Lieutenant began walking forward, Blake held Gambol Shroud in front of her, ready to attack or defend.

She didn't get the chance to do either as May sprinted past her again, running straight at the Lieutenant. He laughed as she charged, stopping in place and waiting for her to close the distance.

"May, stop!" Blake shouted in warning, but her words fell on deaf ears. She gave chase, once again hoping to save May from her own recklessness. "You'll get yourself killed!"

May fired multiple rounds at him as she charged, sliding to her knees as she ejected the empty magazine and exchanged it for a new one with lightning speed. The Lieutenant was unfazed by her attacks, lazily whipping the flat portion of his chainsaw back and forth to deflect the bullets. Growing bored of her display, he began walking toward her.

She showed no sign of stopping, continuously firing at his face and torso without avail. When he came within ten feet of her, May stood, snapping the blade portion of her rifle out with the flick of a switch. The blade gleamed under the chandeliers for a brief moment before May charged at him, screaming. "Why won't you die!"

The Lieutenant lowered his chainsaw in surprise; the sniper going for a full-frontal assault obviously the last thing he expected. Nevertheless, he was prepared to intercept her attempt at close combat. With a gloved fist, he casually batted away her blade, May's swing going wide and carrying her forward, unable to stop. Her eyes widened as she realized her probably fatal mistake.

 _I'm almost there, May!_

The Lieutenant sidestepped so that May's momentum carried her face first into his chest as if she had leapt headfirst into a concrete wall. She yelped and tried to jump away, but he reached out and grabbed her face with his free hand, fingers wrapping around her head before she could escape. To her credit, she did her best to struggle free, but her feeble kicks did little besides irritate her captor.

The Lieutenant threw her into the air. Crouching for a split second, he launched himself upward, driving his fist into her stomach with a merciless uppercut. A small flash of purple followed, the strike finally shattering what was left of May's aura. She landed on her side without attempting to recover from the fall, staying down before beginning to cough. Small droplets of blood left her mouth every time her body seized, sprinkling on her lips.

Too late, Blake reached the Lieutenant. She led by sliding the final distance, slashing at his knees. Her blade was blocked as she had expected, she immediately rushed around his side, leaving an afterimage of herself kneeling. The Lieutenant cleaved it in two, then spun quickly as he realized what had happened, only to catch the cleaver portion of Gambol Shroud right in the face. He staggered backwards, cursing.

Blake refused to let up, noting that May was beginning to stand, albeit shakily, once more. The Lieutenant tanked a couple more quick kicks before she resorted to the blades of Gambol Shroud, her unarmed strikes akin to throwing pebbles at steel. These he blocked most of with quick parries, the spinning teeth of the chainsaw threatening to tear Blake's weapon from her grip each time they connected.

A gunshot split the air, the Lieutenant fell forward suddenly, his body stiffening. Blake jumped out of the way in surprise, not quite sure what had just happened. May stood some distance away, smoke issuing from the barrel of her rifle. She panted heavily, small rivulets of blood running down her chin from her mouth.

 _Lighting dust,_ Blake realized, already sprinting to May as she tried to maximize the time the Lieutenant would be stunned. _We need to get out of here, we can't hold out against him!_ She slid to a halt in front of May, grabbing her arm. "We need to get out while we have the chance!" May ripped her arm from Blake's grasp, gritting her teeth together.

 _She's crying._

"No way," she panted, "this bastard dies tonight." She raised her rifle again, lining up a shot. The bullet missed, her aim thrown off by her badly shaking hands. She started walking forward, hoping to correct her aim by getting closer. Blake reached out again, gripping her upper arm firmly so she couldn't escape.

"May, we need to get out of here. You don't have any aura left, one hit from that chainsaw will kill you!"

"I don't care!" she snarled back, straining against Blake's hold, plain tears of anger running down her cheeks. "This fucker was at Beacon, I'm going to kill him!" The venom with which she made her declaration would've been enough to turn anybody's blood turn to ice, but the Lieutenant merely laughed, slowly standing up.

" _You're_ going to kill me? Oh, many of the kids at that school said the same thing," he goaded. "You can probably guess what happened to them."

"I don't need to!" she screamed back, once again trying to run at him. "I was there you monster!" Blake stopped her with both her arms, wrapping them around her waist and picking her up. May struggled and spat at the Lieutenant, her projectile landing pitifully far from his boots. "Let me go! Blake!" Had it not been for the logical side of Blake's mind being in control, the desperation in May's voice would've convinced her to obey.

"No. We stay, we die," she yelled simply, beginning to run. "This is out of our control now, we need to cut our losses."

"I can't!" May screamed back, her fighting beginning to weaken. "How can I just give up! How can I just not avenge my friends?" Her struggling gave way completely to shuddering sobs. "How can I fail?"

The Lieutenant laughed at their retreating forms, unwilling, or perhaps uninterested, in giving chase. Around him, the surviving members of his guard began helping each other up. Even as Blake and May rounded a corner, his cruel laugh followed them, echoing throughout the hallway. To be safe Blake left after images of herself as they rounded corners, hoping to distract any pursuers, although, it seemed to be the case that they had been let go.

The cold night air greeted them as they ran outside. May had gone limp in her arms, not showing signs of consciousness besides the occasional pained sob. Blake set her down, grasping her by the shoulders.

"May. We need to go before the police arrive. We'll have another chance, I promise." May never made eye contact but Blake was sure she heard, as she gave a slight nod. She sagged then, and Blake supported her by putting an arm around her waist and May's arm over her shoulder. "I promise, May."

"After everything, I'm still too weak to avenge my friends! I hate you," May cried out, hiding her face in the crook of her arm. "I hate you."

The words weren't directed at her, but Blake felt the full weight of her declaration. She held her protective arm around May as they stumbled away. Only a monster could be cruel enough to make May sad.


	17. The Sniper's Bleeding Heart

**It's been a while! I'm back now, with a somewhat shorter chapter this time. I was hesitant to post this due to the length, but I figured that 1, splitting the chapter into two pieces wouldn't take away from the story, and 2, waiting longer to update would be lame. As it is, I hope you enjoy this chapter! As always, thanks to all who read, review, follow, and favorite!**

* * *

Blake brushed her teeth an upwards of three times, pacing restlessly around the small bathroom cubicle. It wasn't that her teeth felt dirty, and the bile in her throat had been cleansed after the first two passes; she merely took a small comfort in the methodical and mechanical movement of the bristles over her teeth. Her adrenaline had worn off steadily throughout their escape from the casino, subsiding until it was a slow and constant buzz in her head. She was dead on her feet when they got back, having more than carried May for much of the way, but had found herself unable to sleep. Not unlike when she drank coffee, she found that adrenaline kept her awake but did little to abate her fatigue.

She stopped her brushing motion halfway through the fourth session, suddenly becoming conscious of the pain in her mouth. Moving from her seated position on the toilet she spat into the sink, a mixture of toothpaste, spit, and blood splattering onto the porcelain dish. _I must've cut open my gums with all the brushing,_ she thought to herself, absentmindedly rubbing at her gums after rinsing her mouth. They hurt, but not enough to be a huge problem. A quick turn of the faucet sent the colorful mixture down the drain, no trace of the blood left. She watched it swirl, her the buzzing in her brain finally subsiding, her eyelids drooping.

Straightening, her eyes passed over the mirror. She jerked as her eyes met her reflection in the silver pane, stumbling backwards with a gasp of horror. Her adrenaline spiked again as she tripped over a towel, slamming backwards into the wall. She slid down the wall, eyes screwed tightly shut, her brain working frantically to censor the image she had just seen.

The mirror had reflected her, but her mind had scrambled the details. Instead of her simple nightshirt, her reflection was wearing White Fang combat armor, complete with scratches and scorch marks, resplendently reflecting light across the wet and bloody portions of its surface. The upper half of her face was hidden, covered by a familiar grimm mask. Two slits for each eye, crimson swirls across the surface that evoked images of Grimm monsters. Adam's mask.

Blake stayed seated for a moment, panting, before she steeled herself. She gripped the edges of the sink with vice like strength, her head lowered. With a growl she opened her eyes and raised her head, as if challenging the mirror to reflect her incorrectly once again. To the mirror's credit, it did not. An unperverted reflection stared back at her, dark rings under her golden eyes like a tortured form of eyeshadow.

"I need to sleep," she reminded her reflection, her voice husky and dry. Her reflection stared back. Once she was sure it wouldn't do anything she didn't allow it to, she pushed off the counter with a sigh, closing the bathroom door gently behind her. May lay on the bed, in the exact same position she had been placed there. Of course, Blake had made sure to remove her dirty jacket and pull the covers over her in an attempt to make her feel more comfortable. With the events that had happened all too recently, she'd need any comfort she could get.

During the trip back to the apartment May had grown steadily heavier in Blake's arms, as if the closer they got, the more energy was drained from her muscles. When Blake lowered her frame onto the blankets she didn't move, the subtle rise and fall of her chest the only indication that she lived. Blake wasn't sure if she had fallen asleep or passed out, or if there was even a difference. It was clear, though, that May had burned through not only her aura but also her physical and mental reserves of energy. She was out like a light.

 _We were lucky to escape,_ Blake thought to herself, climbing under the covers on the opposite side of the bed. It wasn't that the Lieutenant had been too much for them too handle, but rather their shoddy teamwork that had prevented a successful fight, especially since he had his entourage of guards. It didn't matter that they were inexperienced when compared to her, fighting through large numbers would've provided a disadvantage to any huntress. There was also the matter of May's close combat attack which had not gone well. Blake realized her decision to attack at close range was one fueled by logic-clouding rage, but it _had_ costed them their chance to kidnap the Lieutenant.

 _What am I thinking,_ she sighed. _May's been through a lot, there's no need to pin blame on anybody. And besides, I need to be focusing on sleep._ She willed her mind to quiet, focusing on the gentle rhythm of May's breaths.

* * *

Blake woke up to the sound of an unearthly scream, shooting up in the bed. May's voice tore through the room, peircing both sets of her ears, echoing loudly off of the walls. It filled Blake with terror, her pulse and adrenaline both shooting to incredibly high levels. It was a scream that one would expect out of somebody who had just been stabbed, or possibly had been forced to watch a loved one get tortured to death. As the noise faded, Blake could hear May's voice shredding itself, damaging her vocal cords and going horse as the dregs of her breath left her mouth.

"May! May!" Blake yelled, blinking rapidly to allow her eyes to adjust to the pitch black room. May was sat up on the other side of the bed, limbs shaking, fingers balled into shaking fists. She hunched over the covers, gasping for air, each breath punctuated with trembling. "May!" Blake yelled again, moving forward on her hands and knees to reach the girl. "It was just a nightmare, you're going to be okay!"

May gave no indication of having heard her, the sound of her grinding teeth now accompanied by the drop of tears on the blankets. Her lips pulled back in a snarl, eyes wide.

"May," Blake said again, reaching out and placing a hand on her knee. "May, you're safe, you're with me."

Once again, May didn't respond, but her breathing grew more labored; she began taking deep shuddering breaths. Her twisted fingers relaxed ever so slightly, the rage leaving her muscles. The wildness slowly left her eyes, replaced with something akin to consciousness.

It was something Blake had seen happen many times throughout her life, either in herself or in others. Trauma was usually easy to force down, it could be crushed and ground away under a heel until its existence was miniscule, nearly unnoticeable. But like an irritating pebble, it would always be there, making each step painful and more labored. In the White Fang, Blake had seen her comrades wake up from nightmares much in the same way, screaming and flying into a rage after witnessing horrors only their mind could create. Everybody reacted differently to them, but there was one rule that Blake had learned, both from her own experience and through the experience of others.

 _Let them scream, let them cry. Let them rage against the world. But don't let them do something they'll regret for the rest of their lives. These people need protection in their vulnerable state, give them a steady shoulder to cry on, but let them figure it out._

Rules created for herself over long periods of time and numerous experiences. Blake had broken them in the past, made regrettable mistakes, allowed things to happen that she wished she or somebody else had stopped. But that wasn't important. Now, it was time for her to be there for somebody. For May.

"May, I'm here," she said more gently, gathering the girl's hands in one of hers, looping their fingers together. She crawled closer when she wasn't pushed away, sitting beside her and reaching a protective arm around her shoulders. With a slight pull, May leaned into her. "You're safe," she repeated. "I've got you."

The anger in May's body was gone, but she was no less hysterical. That would take time. She shuddered against Blake's form, her breaths constantly hitching as she choked on tears. Blake held her tighter, pressing the girl's head protectively to her chest. "I'm here," she whispered.

May sank down a little over the next few minutes, eventually disentangling one of her hands from Blake's fingers to clutch at her shirt. "I saw them, Blake," she whispered, her words muffled by the shirt she spoke into. "I was _there._ "

"Who did you see?" Blake asked gently, rubbing small circles with her free hand on May's upper back. May stayed silent for a minute.

"I saw. . . my team," she eventually managed to say. Blake nodded sadly, having assumed that her team had been involved in the nightmare. "At Beacon, they - they. . ."

"That must've been hard, May. I'm sorry," Blake said, not wanting to force May to speak. "Take your time, it's alright." She gave her a reassuring squeeze, pressing her face to the top of May's head. "I won't go anywhere, I promise."

"I always have wanted to kill him. The Lieutenant, I mean. He was one of the ones that attacked Beacon," she began, gripping Blake's shirt tighter in her fist. "He walked around slowly, eviscerated students with his chainsaw. . ." Her voice broka again, going hoarse as a new wave of shudders coursed through her body. "A fucking chainsaw Blake! How _psycho_ do you have to be to murder kids with chainsaws?"

Blake stayed silent, the circles she rubbed into May's back grew steadily larger. She could feel May's tears through her thin shirt now, still warm.

"I didn't see it happen. But, because I saw it happen to others, I _know_ what happened." Her fingers twisted in Blake's shirt again, her grip becoming strong and cruel. "He killed my teammate, Brawnz. I didn't see it happen, but that almost makes it _worse._ You understand that, right? I almost wish I had seen it happen, just so my imagination wouldn't create so many fucking awful images in my head!" She growled those final words, voice rising into a feral snarl. "I have to kill him. I have to avenge Brawnz. Not just Brawnz, but everybody those fuckers killed."

In situations like this, Blake had no idea what to say. She had never been good with words, but especially not in times of crisis. _What could possibly be the right thing to say? I don't know what she's going through, I haven't lost my team. I can only imagine how horrible that would feel._

"I'm here for you, May, I won't leave you." May didn't respond, perhaps ignoring her or leaving her words unanswered.

"I miss them, Blake," May whispered, gasping through tears. "I miss them so much. I would do _anything_ for a chance to see them again."

"I know," Blake whispered back, "I know."

"I think. . . one of the worst parts is how I reacted. Out of my team, only Nolan and I lived. And I just _left_ him! He needed me, he still probably needs me. And in the end I just ran. As soon as I knew he was safely on the way back to Vacuo, I shut him out. I thought I needed to focus on the enemy, to close my emotions off to ensure success. But I _miss_ him, Blake, I miss him so much."

"He's safe, that's what's important. You need to focus on what's most important right now. He's alive, and he still will be when -" she cut herself off. "When this is all over." May nodded into her shirt, taking a few shaky breaths.

"I know, I just can't help but think of how he's locked up in his own room, with nothing but the dark. He needs me."

"And you need him, too," Blake concluded. "You'll see him again. Until we need to live day by day."

The pair stayed silent for the next undefined period of time, taking small comfort in the physical presence of the other. May broke the calm a moment later, sitting bolt upright. Even in the black room, the dark circles under her eyes were visible against the white of her face.

"May?"

May didn't respond, leaning forward and grabbing her wrist tightly.

"May, what're you do- hmmf!"

May's mouth was suddenly hot against hers, pressing urgently. Blake gave a small gasp of surprise, eyes widening. The kiss held no ceremony, lacked any special touch of sanctity that would be expected for a couple's first. She could still feel the wetness on May's cheek from her tears.

While she was surprised, May pressed forward with her mouth and hands, tipping Blake backward until she was on the bed, facing up. "May, please, this isn't -" her voice was cut off once again as May pressed her lips against Blake's again, reaching a hand up to trace her collarbones. Her lips parting, May's tongue flicked across her lips, asking for entrance. Blake reached up to press against her shoulders, trying to create some distance. May leaned back with her press, lowering her hands to reach down and start fiddling with the buttons on Blake's nightshirt, beginning to open it.

"May, that's enough!" she commanded her to stop, gripping her wrists. "Not like this! This isn't going to help!" May strained against her grip without avail before going limp. May dropped like a weight, stealing another kiss from Blake's lips.

Blake broke the kiss, gasping for air. "May," she panted. "May please, stop this."

"Blake, I _need_ this, please," May responded, likewise panting. Her mouth stayed open, fresh tears spilling from her eyes. " _Please._ " She pressed forward again, attempting to close the distance between their lips. Blake blocked her by interposing an arm between them, pressing back. "I said that's _enough_!" she commanded, forcing as much willpower into her voice as she could muster. May jolted in surprise, eyes wide. Slowly taking in a deep breath she lowered her eyes and scooted backwards, beginning to shake. Her eyes frantically searched the room, as if she had just encountered a horde of Grimm and was desperately searching for an escape.

"What have I done? What have I done?"

"May?" Blake asked as May left the bed, stepping onto the floor. "May, it's okay, just calm down, I'm not angry. Just. . . talk to me, okay?" May didn't hear her, backing up more and more, clutching her arms to her sides as fresh sobs wracked her body.

"I'm sorry," she stammered, fumbling with the doorknob. "I'm so sorry." The door clicked open, admitting a cold rush of air.

"May stop! Don't run away!" Her words were not heeded. May backed out of the open door as Blake leapt from the bed, intent on stopping her. "May, don't blame yourself for this!"

The full force of the cold wind greeted her as she ran outside. The tail of May's shirt disappeared behind the corner of the next apartment building. "May," she said weakly, words whisked away by the wind, "Just. . . come home safely. I'll forgive you if you do that much."


	18. Recalibration

Blake awoke to the sounds of birds chirping. She met the bright light with a heavy sigh, her head hurting. Screwing her eyes, shut, she reminisced on her time at Beacon, when the days were simpler and she didn't wake up cold or scared. She had thought those times would be over once she joined the academy and become friends with the rest of team RWBY. And, she supposed it would've been, had it not been for Adam and the White Fang.

 _Naive. I should've never expected to get off the hook that easily,_ she berated herself, forcing her eyes open to look into the light. _I made a mistake, and I'm paying the price. Guess it fits, huh? It's not like I was ever a really good teammate. It's simply Karmic destiny._

Blake shook her head to dispel the thoughts, unwilling to start the day with negativity. She sat up in bed, intending to take a shower, then remembered what had happened late last night. Casting a precursory look around the room, she noted that May was nowhere to be seen. Still out, most likely, although she would probably be back, as her rifle was still leaned against the wall. If Blake could count on one thing, it was that May wouldn't leave her weapon behind for any longer than she needed to.

 _I hope she's okay without it,_ Blake found herself wondering, then chuckled sadly as she came up with an answer to her own question. Of course May would be fine, she was street smart. They both were, because the world after the fall of Beacon demanded it. They didn't have a choice.

Blake extricated herself from the sheets and padded over to the shower, turning the water on to its hottest level and dousing herself thoroughly. _If only this hot water could scald away all the evil in this world._ "If only," she repeated to herself wryly. After a few minutes of idle thought and no real cleaning, Blake stepped out in her towel and returned to the main room, throwing some loose clothing on and making herself as comfortable as she could on the hard floor. She laid out Gambol Shroud in front of her and deconstructed it, placing the pieces in carefully organized lines and rows, easily within reach to be cleaned.

Some time later, a hesitant knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. She reattached the slide to the pistol portion of Gambol Shroud, slotting the blade back into its usual position, then stood up and dusted herself off, beginning to walk to the door. It opened before she could arrive, hinges creaking weakly as it swung open partway.

May stood behind it, looking as if a storm had hit her during the night. The dark circle under her good eye betrayed the fact that she hadn't slept, her pink hair stuck out at wild angles from her head, uncovered by her beanie. Blake wasn't sure if she had lost it; she certainly didn't appear to have it on her person. Her quick search brought her eyes to rest on May's hands, which were occupied carrying a small coffee holder, with two cups.

May opened her mouth to say something, but promptly shut it again when nothing came out. She reconsidered her words a moment, then finally decided to go with a simple, "Hey."

"Hey," Blake responded in kind, unsure of how to handle the situation. "Are you. . . okay? You look tired."

"I, uh. . . brought some coffee," she said quietly, looking at the ground.

"Thanks, I could use some," Blake replied with a smile, stepping forward to take the cup from May's outstretched hand. May flinched when their fingers touched, but Blake had a firm enough grasp on the coffee to keep it from spilling. After handing it over, May retreated to the wall and slid down it, sipping nervously on her own drink.

"You know, you look like you could use some sleep. Are you sure coffee is the best thing to be drinking right now?" May jumped at her words.

"O-oh, this is tea, actually. I'm too jittery for coffee."

"You should still consider getting some sleep," Blake advised. May nodded, but was otherwise silent. Content to let the silence remain, Blake took a sip of her coffee, noting with pleasure that it had a hint of caramel flavoring. Her favorite, which was something she had mentioned offhandedly at some point, she was just impressed that May had remembered. As she took another sip, May jumped to her feet in a quick motion.

"Look. I- I brought coffee, but I know that doesn't cut it," she began, her voice shaky. "And I'm not trying to get out of anything with gifts either, that's not what I want." Blake nodded, waiting patiently while keeping her mouth shut. If May had something to get off her chest, it would be best for her to do it by herself, without coaxing or early reassurance.

"Blake," May said, hesitating as she looked at the floor. Then, balling her fists, she looked up at her, meeting Blake's eyes. "About last night, I'm. . . I'm so sorry. That was way out of line. You don't need to forgive me, just. . ." her voice cracked, tears beginning fall on the wood floor. "Just know that I didn't mean to hurt you. I never wanted that. It was selfish, and cruel, and -"

Blake cut her off, capturing her in a strong embrace. Her left hand held May's head to the side of hers, their ears brushing against each other. "I know, May, I understand. And I forgive you. You were panicked, and I don't blame you. Losing your team, I can't imagine what that's like." She leaned back, holding her at arm's length by the elbows. "May, I'm not going to leave you, okay? I want to help you."

"I just. . . want you to know I'm sorry. It won't happen, ever again. I can control myself."

"Thank you, May," Blake said, stepping back to look at her face. A smile began forming on her lips. "You look terrible." May chuckled at her appraisal, sniffling.

"I could really use a shower and some sleep, I suppose."

"Well, come on then," Blake said, guiding her to the bathroom with a hand on her back. "Get yourself clean, and then take a nap. You need it."

May waited in front of the mirror while Blake began closing the door. "Thanks, Blake," she said quietly, her hoarse voice making it a whisper. "I don't deserve you." Blake shook her head in disagreement.

"You're right. You deserve a lot more," she said turning back to meet May's eyes, winking. "But you'll just have to make do with me."

* * *

May's eye fluttered open lazily, letting in the bright light of midday. A pleasant aroma of freshly cooked rice wafted past her nostrils, she began salivating slightly. Sitting up in the bed, May rubbed the sleep from her eye with limited success. Her grogginess hung over her like a shroud, her stomach growling. _I haven't eaten in nearly half a day,_ she realized, looking to the side to catch sight of Blake hunched over the desk, stirring something.

A small cough brought Blake's attention to her. "Ah, finally awake?" May nodded, unwilling to commit to words just yet. "Well," Blake continued, you have good timing, I just finished making lunch. Although, I suppose for you it's more like breakfast."

"Thank you," May said gratefully, taking the bowl from Blake's outstretched hand. "What is it?"

"Just some boiled rice mixed with steamed broccoli and sardines." Blake, noticing her face at the word "sardine," hurried to clarify. "The sardines are actually pretty good, and I'm not saying that just because I'm a cat Faunus. I mean, it's nothing special, but. . ."

"It's great," May reassured, blowing on her spoon before taking a bite. She chewed it thoughtfully for a moment before scooping up another heaping spoonful of rice and shoving it into her mouth with vigor. "I didn't realize how hungry I was until about a minute ago," she said, her mouth still half-full. While she'd normally attempt to display at least a _little_ more decorum, she found herself unable to care.

Grateful not only for the food, but also for the excuse it gave to not speak, May slowed down during the final portions of the meal, trying to decide what she would say once she finished it. Her arm moved automatically as she sat there, stumped, until the final clump of rice made it into her mouth, slowly chewed. _Shit, I still don't know what I want to say.  
_ She looked into the empty bowl, wishing more than ever that it could be refilled. When Blake's hand came into her line of sight and gently took it, she jumped. Then, with slight surprise, she watched as Blake refilled it, handing it back.

"From the way you were looking at it, I figured you wanted more. You know you can ask for more, right?" she questioned with a concerned frown.

"O-oh, it wasn't really that, exactly. I'm just trying to put the words together in my head."

"Take your time, I'm doing the same thing," Blake responded with a somewhat sad smile, delicately raising a piece of sardine with her chopsticks and examining it closely.

"I'm sorry I freaked out back there," the words suddenly tumbled from May's mouth. "I thought I could keep myself under control, but I guess I was wrong. Her head drooped to the floor, the wooden slats staring back at her, uncaring.

"May," Blake sighed in exasperation, "I told you, you don't need to apologize, you were under a lot of stress."

"No," May corrected, making sure she met Blake's eyes. "I mean during the fight with the Lieutenant. I rushed in like an idiot and cost us the mission. That was stupid of me. It's easy to talk big about taking someone down when you're far away from them, but then to actually do it is. . ."

"Well," Blake said quietly, "you'll remember that when I first saw Adam after all that time vowing revenge, I was completely unable to move. I had a panic attack at the worst possible time." She moved from her seat at the desk to sit on the bed next to May. "We have not been given the kindest of circumstances to work with, and for the most part, we've been pretty lucky. Sure, you got your leg sliced open back then and you nearly died last night as well, but it hasn't happened yet."

"True, but we can't just rely on luck to solve our issues."

"Of course not," Blake agreed, nodding her head, "what we're lacking in is both resolve and teamwork. We can communicate better now, but it's still a far shot from how we communicated with our former teams. And frankly, we don't have the luxury of time to reach that level."

May sighed in agreement. "Right. Every second we waste is more innocent lives being taken. And we can't fight an enemy if we're going to panic or lose the basic ability to think logically every time. We need to be more prepared mentally to do what needs to be done when the time comes."

"I'm far cry from a psychologist, so I don't really know what the next step is here," Blake admitted with a sullen expression. "It's easy to talk about becoming prepared, but I don't know how to do that."

May frowned, also unsure. "I've held myself to this idea that I need to be the one to kill the Lieutenant. Although I wasn't thinking clearly enough to make a conscious decision to that effect last night, I'm sure it influenced my decision to fight him at close range." She sighed. "I need to let go of this idea of 'personal revenge.' Of course, I'd prefer it if I were the one to kill him, but it really doesn't matter as long as he dies, I suppose. Maybe if I remind myself of that more, I won't do something so stupid next time."

"Adam has always scared me," Blake spoke, continuing in the silence after May had made it clear she was done speaking. "There was always a bit of fear in my interactions with him, but recently, it's. . . been worse. And yes, that's an understatement," she shuddered. "The shock of suddenly seeing him in front of me was a lot to take in at once. I had this idealised way of thinking about how I would stop him once and for all. We'd be alone, somewhere where nobody could bother us. I'd do my best to talk to him, but of course I know that he wouldn't listen. He never did. Then, we'd fight, and I always promised myself I would win, that I would be the only one to walk away from that field. After seeing him, I'm not so sure anymore."

"His presence has been hanging over you like a weight for more than a year, right? It makes sense that seeing him so soon after the attack on Beacon would be terrible." May shifted, resting her chin in a palm. "More than likely, you won't get that ideal final showdown. I know you can attest, but the real world is a lot more. . . quick."

"Yeah, I just need to mentally prepare myself for that. I keep thinking that our meetings need to be defined by words, but that's a pretty romanticised way of looking at it. When it comes down to it, he's an abusive terrorist that needs to disappear."

"If it makes you feel better, I'll be by your side the whole time," May reassured, placing a hand on Blake's shoulder. "Next time, we'll work together and won't be caught by surprise."

"I hope you're right. . . No. You _are_ right. Next time will be better, we have to keep believing that. Against all odds, we need to believe that we can come out on top."

"That's the spirit," May said softly, lowering her hand. "There are people out there who need us still. It may feel like it, but we never lost everything."

The two didn't speak for the next few minutes, each allowing their thoughts to wander and wind about. Forgiving themselves for past mistakes, reliving fond memories of their teammates. May ate a few more mouthfuls of rice, chewing slowly to savor the the oily yet succulent flavor of the fish. _These aren't bad, actually._

Taking a deep breath, Blake suddenly turned to face her, her expression resolute. "Hey, can we talk about what happened last night? I know it's a little uncomfortable, but I think it would be for the best." May cringed at her words slightly before giving a slow nod.

"If - If you want. It's not a bad idea."

"Thank you, I appreciate it. It probably won't make you feel any better, but I have a little bit of history with that kind of situation."

"What do you mean?" May questioned, head tilted to the side.

"Well," Blake began hesitatingly, "I was once in a situation much like last night, before I left the White Fang. Only I didn't stop it, and at times I even was the one who initiated it."

May looked at the floor, speaking softly, "Then, that must've been with. . ."

"You guessed it. Adam. It didn't turn out well. Even if it had been the right way to help him, he was too far gone anyway. When it began, we had just finished an incredibly stressful job attacking a Schnee Dust Company outpost between the Kingdoms. We made it inside the walls okay, but they must've been expecting us. As soon as the last of our raiding party was in the compound, the S.D.C. put the facility into lockdown. Apparently, one of our own made a deal with the enemy, giving them our plans for attack in exchange for his safety and a hefty sum of Lien. Of course, the S.D.C. didn't honor that agreement; he was one of the first shot. It became a bloodbath in there, after hours of fighting to the point of exhaustion, those of us that were left managed to create a large enough distraction with what dust explosives we had left. By the time the dust had settled, we were on our way out, wearing the uniforms of freshly slain Atlas operatives. Out of the original thirty-two of us, I think only five escaped.

"When we got back, we would've done anything to escape from the horror we had just gone through. They did anything to distract themselves - we all did," Blake admitted, shaking her head to dismiss the bloody memories. "It was a temporary measure, and it only worked for so long. Instead of solving the problem, we were just putting it off and ignoring it." Blake remained seated on the edge of the bed, leaning over her knees with clenched fists. "Had I known how self-destructive that sort of thinking was at the time, there's no way I would've done it. In the moment it seems like such a good idea, like it's going to take all the fear away and replace it with either a feeling of power or conquest, followed by fatigue."

She shook her head again. "Thanks to that mentality, the bigger problems were ignored. I didn't notice Adam becoming more and more violent and angry, and I couldn't stop the White Fang from becoming so militant. Like I said about those kinds of distractions before, they don't last long," she turned to May then, gripping her shoulder tightly. "So when you tried to initiate that last night, I didn't stop you because I dislike you or anything like that. I don't. I stopped you because I think I can understand the feelings you were experiencing at the time, even if the source was different."

May looked back at her, taking in Blake's hard expression. Her eyes were fierce, amber lights dazzling in their complexity, resplendent in their confidence in her words. She continued a moment later. "So, I hope you know I won't blame you for that; I've done the same in the past. But, that's why I stopped you. It wouldn't have helped in the long run."

"Then," May paused, gathering her thoughts, "thank you for stopping me. And even if you don't blame me, know that I'm still sorry. I'm thinking more clearly now; it won't happen again." She stood up, placing her bowl of rice back on the table, half-eaten. "For the record, I hope you know that I don't view you as a tool or a means to an end. Even if my actions last night may have painted it that way, it's the opposite. I never would've made it this far without you; I'd probably be dead in a ditch somewhere." She turned to Blake who still sat on the bed, a look of surprise on her face. "Thanks for being so patient with me," she smiled, "I'm sure it gets tiring."

"Not at all!" Blake immediately refuted, jumping to her feet with a worried frown on her face. "You're not a trifle, I'm glad to have you here. And the same goes for you as well, thanks for being here. To be completely honest, I was actually slightly worried that you were going to run off for good last night," she said, fidgeting with her hands. "It's probably something I would've done."

"I doubt it," May said back. "I don't think you're the type to run, at least not anymore. And when I left I didn't really have a plan, besides to get away from you. I was worried I'd hurt you more." Blake smiled gratefully.

"Well, thank you for the consideration, but as you can see, I'm okay." Then, Blake wrapped her arms around May's torso to pull her into a warm hug. "Thanks for talking things out with me, I think it helped," she said, her voice muffled by May's shirt. At first startled, May soon relaxed into the embrace, likewise pulling Blake close.

"Things always get tougher before they get easier, don't they?" May sighed wistfully.

"I suppose so," Blake answered, lowering her arms to end the hug. May squeezed her tight once and then let go as well, stepping back. "We haven't been given the best hand of cards, that's for sure. And on top of that, we chose to undertake quite a strenuous challenge."

"Well, it's not like we can just give up," May pointed out with a smile. "If there's one things we're good at, it's not knowing when to quit."

"Yeah," Blake said, her eyes lowered to the floor. They still retained some happiness though. "That reminds me, how do you feel? Is your aura recharged?"

"It is, and I'm unhurt. My sleep schedule may be a little bit messed up thanks to not sleeping last night, but that's the worst of it." She lowered her voice. "I really did get lucky."

"That's good to hear," Blake responded without missing a beat. "And I'm sure you'll be exhausted again by the time the sun sets, you did only get three hours of sleep after all."

"You're probably right. . . Blake?" she asked, getting the full attention of the Faunus. "Where do we go from here? We were supposed to get information out of the Lieutenant, but since we weren't able to. . . we've hit a dead again once again." Blake sighed, resting her head in one of her palms.

"You're right, and I really don't want to impose on Yurie again. Any ideas?"

"Well, aside from starting from the ground up, not really. All I can think of is that we could find a White Fang rally, kidnap some of the members, and try to get the largest amount of information we can out of them. Work our way from the bottom up."

Blake nodded slowly. "That may be our only option. I'm sure we can ask Yurie for a rally location without too much trouble, they're pretty much common knowledge in the White Fang. If she can give us any more information, she'll have the option to, but on her own terms. We may have been relying on her too heavily."

"Agreed," May said, clapping her hands together. She held them to her face for a minute as she gathered her thoughts, before throwing them down. "Alright. I'll try to catch up on sleep, and then tomorrow I can contact Yurie and give her the update to let her know what our plan is. Once we know where a rally is taking place, we can scout the area in preparation."

"That sounds good to me. I'll start making dinner while you rest - no, I said _rest,_ " Blake ordered, pushing May back from her half-standing position so she was seated on the bed again. "I can take care of this, and we need you in top shape tomorrow. If you can't sleep, at least lie still."

May chuckled but complied, pulling the blankets up to her chin. "Yes _mom."_

"Go to sleep _sweetie,_ I'll have some treats for you when you wake up," Blake returned the jest in full, turning to the fridge to prepare food.

"Gross, we're like the same age."

"Then don't start things you can't finish."

"Now you sound like a mom again."

"Are you implying that I resemble an older woman?"

"Not with a body like yours you don't. . ." May muttered, unable to stop the words from coming from her lips. She felt heat surge to her cheeks as Blake turned to look at her in surprise. May pulled the covers over her head to escape the questioning gaze. _Oh shit, I can't believe I said that out loud!_

"You're a fan of my figure, then?"

"I'm going to sleep this instant!"

* * *

 **I decided to throw the author's note at the end this time. Thanks to all who read, review, follow, and favorite!**

 **I think it's important to remember that even in the darkest times, a little bit of humor (or even something more) can grow. Sadness isn't a state of being, it comes and goes in waves. I like to think May and Blake are slowly learning this as they go on. Anyway, stay tuned for the next exciting chapter!**


	19. Ribbon and Sneaking

**Please enjoy this newest chapter, while completely ignoring the inconsistent update schedule! But in all seriousness, thanks for your patience. As always, a heartfelt thank you to all who read, review, follow, and favorite!**

* * *

May slept for more than fourteen hours, waking up only twice during that time to stumble sleepily into the bathroom. By the time she woke up feeling fully rested, the gentle sun of the next morning shone through the thin curtains, the light falling on her face. She groaned and covered her eyes with a hand but the sunlight was not to be deterred. Her mind was fully awake, and her body itched to get up.

She spent the morning quietly doing chores, taking the laundry out of the room to the washing machine down the apartment hall, cleaning Lilac, and making a sparse breakfast for herself. She put Blake's portion next to the bed where the girl was still sleeping, lightly snoring. Her feline ears flicked now and again, the product of some sounds she must've been hearing in her dreams.

 _Cute,_ May thought to herself, reaching out to gently brush one. When it flicked away from her touch, she couldn't help but giggle. Blake stirred at the sound, eyes opening sleepily.

"Hmm. Wha?" she said, her words drowned out by a massive yawn.

"Nothing," May said fondly, "just that breakfast is ready." May took her leave, peeking out from behind the bathroom door to add a final line. "Goodmorning, by the way."

"To you too," came the reply, and then May was shut off from the main room. She took her time in the shower, toweling off methodically once she was finished. The mirror displayed her reflection with candor. Her eyes still had slight dark smudging beneath them, but her hair was in much better condition, and she looked overall well-rested. She sighed at the sight of the left side of her face, still covered by hair.

Reaching up, she gently pulled her bangs to the side, revealing the side of her face that her beanie usually kept hidden from both herself and the world. The burn scar was still there, as much as she had hoped it wouldn't be. It covered much of the upper-left side of her face, spreading up and out from where her eye used to be. Pink tendrils where her skin had partially melted and then reformed into webbed lines cris-crossed, leaving rough diamond shapes in between. Sure, the shapes by themselves could even be considered individually elegant, but placed on her face with mismatched colors, the ridges were anything but.

May let her hair fall back into place, obscuring the mark from the world. As long as she'd had it, she'd never gotten fully used to the idea of one part of her face displaying such a mismatched countenance to her "better side."

"Well," she said to herself, putting the barest amounts of volume into her voice, "at least it's coverable." She laughed wryly, unsure herself if the rush of breath leaving her lungs was an attempt at a laugh or a sigh. Without wasting further time, she exited the bathroom, intent to focus on other things.

She was surprised when Blake greeted her holding out a black ribbon. "What's this?" she asked. Blake hesitated before answering.

"Well, you always cover up with your beanie, and since you lost it, I thought that I'd let you have this. That is, if you want," she added, noticing May's confused expression. May took the ribbon carefully from her hands, loathe to wrinkle it. The black ribbon stood like a shadow against the light of her hands, enveloping them in voluminous blackness as it pooled over her palm.

"Thats. . . really thoughtful of you. Thank you, Blake," May said, touched. "Then, if you don't mind."

"Not at all," she smiled back. "Oh! Thanks again for the breakfast, it was excellent. You make rice much better than I do."

"Ah, there's not much to it," May chuckled while tying the ribbon around her head. "I'll show you how sometime, if you want." The conversation was an obvious distraction from her injury, but she appreciated Blake's understanding in her not wanting to talk about it. _Maybe I'll tell her someday,_ she thought to herself, looping the ribbon into a knot. _Then again, maybe not. I'm sure she doesn't think it's that important._ With a final pull, the ribbon was in place, wrapping diagonally down to cover her left eye. The smoothness of the fabric startled her as she ran her fingers across its length, adjusting. _So soft. I wonder if it smells like her?_ She berated herself for not smelling it beforehand, then once again for even thinking of smelling it in the first place. _Don't make it weird._

"How does it look?" she asked hesitatingly, turning her head this way and that both to test her own movements but also to show it off.

"Really cool," Blake replied, "You're like a ninja."

"Well, except for the fact that _only_ my face is covered, which means I'm kinda the opposite," she pointed out.

"A blindfolded ninja, then," Blake conceded. "It looks good though. Mind if I adjust one of the parts? It's not lying flat."

"Oh. . . Ehm."

"If not, that's totally fine," Blake said, raising her hands to show that she hadn't taken May's hesitation personally.

"No! It's okay, go ahead. Just. . . gentle," May said, steeling herself. She took a deep breath as Blake reached her hands up, thankful for her calm, liquid motions. As Blake adjusted the ribbon, she breathed out slowly, her breath shaking slightly. A second later, Blake stepped away.

"There, all done!"

"Thanks," May said to her gratefully, and then to herself, "That wasn't so bad."

"Gentle enough?" Blake asked nervously, holding her hands behind her back.

"Yeah, that was the first time I've let somebody touch that part of my face, other than doctors." She ran her fingers across the surface once again. "But wow, this thing is so soft, where did you find it?"

Blake blanched at her question. "Ahh, I may have stolen it from a fabric shop at one point or another a few years ago. I used to tie Gambol Shroud together with it."

"But wait, don't you need this one then?" May asked, hands ready to undo the knot in back.

"I have more, don't worry. You keep that one, at least until you get a new beanie. You're not obligated to wear it on my account or anything, I won't be offended if you take it off."

"This is actually more comfortable than the beanie, so I don't think I will. Sorry, but you're not getting this back," she winked, exaggerating the motion with a tilt of her head so it wouldn't be mistaken for a mere blink.

In actuality, this was not the first time May had been given something to cover her face. When she had first received the injury, her team offered her a beanie when they noticed she was self-consciously keeping it covered, going so far as to custom-order one that fell in a diagonal line across the left side of her face while still being worn normally. She had treasured it for a long time, loathe to even remove it during her showers. Losing it the night before last had shaken her up even more; when she had torn it from her head to cool off, the wind bore it away into the sky. The loss had immediately triggered a panic attack, she lay huddled in a crouch, grasping the railing of the bridge for support. After some time the panic subsided, replaced with a cold sense of loss that had yet to fade. Blake's ribbon had helped though, warming her heart.

"We should begin planning for our mission," Blake said, sitting down at her desk and pulling out a second chair which she had picked up recently.

"Good idea," May responded, joining her in looking over the map, sentimentality replaced with focus. "I'll call Yurie."

* * *

As luck would have it, a White Fang rally took place the next day. Thanks to the information Yurie was able to provide, May and Blake were able to scout out the location ahead of time, sneaking into the auditorium during the nighttime to get an understanding of the layout. The building in question was part of a factory, the meeting itself would be held in one of the connected warehouses. According to Yurie, the factory itself was owned by the White Fang, the previous owners having foreclosed months earlier allowing Adam to buy the building under an alias without much suspicion. Thankfully, it seemed only to be used for illegal dust shipments and meetings with higher-ups, the White Fang didn't like the publicity that came with hundreds of militants entering and leaving regularly.

"So having a bunch of Faunus going to a factory on one day isn't going to aroused suspicion?" May had asked.

"Not on a weekday," May had explained, "and especially since they're not mobilizing in a crowded portion of town. It's just old factories and warehouses out there."

And so, May and Blake had gotten their respective weapons ready and struck out for the rally, arriving just as the doors closed so as to keep their profile low. May split off a few seconds before reaching the entrance, leaving Blake on her own. Once inside, Blake would provide intel on the White Fang's movements from the back of the rally hall while May snuck into the building through the top, using her semblance. Counting on the fact that the majority of the members would be in the rally hall, May hoped that she'd be able to find some sort of information, whether that be by searching through documents or knocking a guard unconscious with a well-placed round of electric dust. But first, it was time to orient herself.

"Alright Blake, I'm in," May whispered into her scroll, dropping into a hallway from an air conditioning vent. She closed it as quietly as she could, nudging it back into place with the butt of her rifle. "What can you see?"

" _It looks like things are just beginning here,_ " came Blake's reply. " _Some guards just started forming ranks on the stage._ "

"Good, keep your eyes open. I'm gonna head to the control room, hopefully there's something useful there."

" _Good luck. Don't worry if I don't respond, I need to make sure the guards don't see me whispering into my scroll._ "

"What?"  
" _They have guards posted around the edges of the rally hall,"_ Blake replied. " _Probably to make sure nobody runs away or causes problems._ "

"Be careful then." May was actually grateful, more surveillance in the rally itself meant less inside the factory. She would have an easier time sneaking about without the extra guards. May ran into her first problem as she crouched and leaned around a corner, searching the hall with her good eye.

A guard walked slowly down its length, humming to himself. Projecting an air of relaxation, his weapon, a machine gun, hung loosely from his back. May eyed him in satisfaction as he continued, analyzing his gait. Unless his arms were freakishly flexible, his weapon was hanging just out of his reach. May stood and padded up behind him, pulling Lilac from her shoulder and gripping the barrel.

"Excuse me sir, I'm a little lost."

"Wha-"

The man turned around just in time to perceive May's vicious swing, his eyes widening at the last moment before impact. He took the force with his jaw, the butt of May's rifle breaking bone. The hit knocked him to the wall where he slid to the ground, unconscious. Adroitly flipping Lilac in the air, May caught it and slung it over her back once more, tightening the leather strap around her chest. The man she dragged into the nearest room, which turned out to be a small restroom cubicle. He was left slumping against the toilet, handcuffed to the pipes with his own cuffs.

"One down. . . undefined number to go. Better not beat up anyone else though," she berated herself with a whisper. If the guard was found too soon or woke up and alerted the others, the White Fang would go on a manhunt for them. _If I were smart, I'd kill him. . . Screw it._

May entered the bathroom once again, looking down on the man. Bending over, she removed his scroll from his pocket, stomping on it. "You're lucky I'm not smart enough to kill you. I sure as hell used to be."

After descending a flight of stairs, May found herself on the third story of the factory, her general heading bringing her ever-closer to the control room. Ahead, the single door that would lead to the control room loomed. A glorified balcony, the control room was a structure that jutted out of the wall of the rally hall and featured glass windows from which the occupants could look down on those gathered below. Were it not for the fact that the leaders of the rally were either already on the stage or soon to be there, May would've expected them to be in the control room.

Following that line of reasoning she cautiously approached the door, stopping when she heard voices.

"-just not sure if she really likes me, ya'know?" a voice faded into earshot from the other side.

"Sure man, it's tough when you think you're getting mixed signals like that," a second voice replied.

"Yeah dude, at first I thought our coffee date went really well, but then she didn't reply for like, three hours. What's up with that?"

"Work probably, you know how serious she gets. Truth is, you're overanalyzing it. My sister likes you man, she told me herself."

"What? She did? Wow. . . thanks for telling me that."

"Ask her out again, she's not gonna say no to you." A sharp clap of a high-five sounded from the other side of the door. "But a word of advice, don't expect her to text back all the time. She's never been good with that, not even with me, her own flesh and blood."

Hoping to draw one of them out, May interrupted whatever the first man was going to say with a knock on the door, backing up quickly to the side down the shadowed hallway. She brought Lilac to her shoulder, carefully aiming down the sight. The doorknob jiggled a second later.

"Hey Reed," the first man answered while propping the door open, evidently without looking into the hallway to confirm whether or not anybody was actually there. "How'd the patrol go- wait, what? Reed? You there?" He checked the hallway to his left first, then scanned his front and the hallway to the right, where May was currently hiding. After glaring into the shadows for a minute, he chuckled, turning his head to address his partner. "Looks like Reed's started a game of hide-and-seek. I'm gonna go grab him, have to pee anyway."

"Sounds good," came the reply, the man that remained in the control room sounding bored. "Just knock when you need back in, the doors lock from the outside."

"Got it." The door clicked shut behind him. May held her rifle steady as the man approached. "Hey Reed, I know you're in here. Quit fuckin' around, I gotta pee."

May lined up the shot while he spoke, centering her purple reticle on the center of his chest. A pull of the trigger later, and the hallway echoed with the sound of a dust round hitting its target. The man went down with an electric flash, sparks arcing from his fingertips as the electric dust round paralyzed him.

May was running before he hit the floor. A swift kick to the head rendered him unconscious before he was able to shout out in warning, having recognized that she was, in fact, not Reed. She crouched down and held her breath as she waited to see if anyone had heard the sound from her rifle. The door to the control room never budged though, May thanked her lucky stars for soundproofing.

 _Two for two in non lethal takedowns. I'm doing well today!_ May mused as she dragged the man down the hallway. Thinking to drop him off in the bathroom, she figured a different room would be better; not only did she dislike placing two prisoners together, but the man was _incredibly_ heavy. May opted for a conference room instead, handcuffing his arms to the heavy metal table.

Approaching the control room once more, May steeled herself for a final confrontation. Assuming there weren't any more silent guards in the room, only one would be left inside. She knocked on the door, the metallic rapping echoing in the hallway. Two steps backward, and May had her rifle aimed at the door, right where the man's head would appear. Hopefully.

As it turned out, she wasn't so lucky. The door opened just a foot, the final guard already walking away from it, giving May no time to shoot. _Seriously, what is with these people not checking who they're letting in?_ May had to jump forward to get her hand on the door, bracing herself against it while holding onto Lilac with only her right hand. The metal threatened to squeeze shut, forcing her to lose her balance slightly so she could maintain at least a little aim. She didn't dare go inside, as the interior would be a cramped space and she'd be hard-pressed to beat the guard in close combat without firing her rifle. Not to mention, the muzzle flash could be noticed by the White Fang in the rally hall below, what with the glass windows.

"Help with the door!" she growled, leaning back so Lilac's muzzle would be out of the room. The guard turned as he heard her voice.

"Hey wait, who're -" An electric dust round cut his words short as the bullet smashed into him point blank. He stumbled backward with the momentum, tripping over a chair. May watched in horror as he fell against the glass, cracks spreading out from the epicenter of impact, his head.

 _Please don't break, please don't break._

She could only imagine how badly her cover would be blown if an unconscious White Fang guard fell three stories to the ground of the filled rally hall. There wouldn't be time to escape, and Blake would likely be caught as well once the White Fang started an interrogation of all those present in order to find colluders.

The horrifying possibility did not come to pass. The glass held, if only barely, and May rushed forward to pull the man's weight from it. The cracks had encompassed a large portion of the window, but otherwise May she could see quite clearly from it, viewing the entire rally hall from her high vantage point. She took a moment to cuff the guard, then breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well, I made it this far," she said to herself, sitting down in one of the armchairs. The leather was cool against her back, enabling her heartbeat to calm in her chest.

"Blake. I made it to the control room, I'm gonna look around a bit. I'll let you know if I find anything."

A few moments passed before she heard the quiet reply. " _Okay._ "

May tore the control room apart, looking through the desk drawers and messenger bags for anything that might resemble information. When she couldn't find anything, she checked the guard's belongings and his scroll, but turned up nothing of interest. It was only minutes later when she looked at the top of the final desk, that she saw a manilla file.

 _Hiding in plain sight, eh? Not bad. . ._ She opened it and spilled its contents, rifling through them. Most of it was useless, building blueprints here, a list of loansharks there, the name and location of a specific translation shop on another sheet of paper. As she was about to give up, an scrawled note written of a half-sheet of parchment caught her eye.

 _Dear Adam, I'll be heading to the warehouse after I finish speaking at the rally. I know you can't make it, but I wish you safe travels. See you soon._

Below the ink was a signature, written in a blood-red color. _Carmine._ May bristled at the letters, clenching her teeth. As if she would ever be able to forget the pain of having her leg nearly sliced off, then being left to escape with Blake while Adam hunted them as if they were animals. If Carmine was attending the rally, then she'd most likely be speaking soon. After she and Blake made their escape, they'd be able to follow her to whatever warehouse she was stopping at and ambush her.

On a whim, May turned over the note, freezing in place. A rough map had been sketched onto the surface, clearly detailing the specific warehouse to which Carmine intended to go. _It's our lucky day,_ May thought to herself grimly, bringing her scroll back up to her ear.

"Blake, I found a file. Apparently Carmine is here, and she's going to a warehouse afterwards. She left a note with the location."

" _I don't think you'll need to look to hard to find her. . ."_

May stood and looked through the window down at the rally, wondering if Blake was in any way in trouble. "What do you mean?" Blake responded with a single whispered word.

" _Stage."_

* * *

Blake's ears twitched as a spokesman for the White Fang, some higher-up judging by his painted mask, stepped to the side of the podium with a sweeping gesture. "Now, allow me to introduce to you our leader's most trusted general! Miss Carmine!" An uproarious thundered from the audience, the White Fang members smashing their palms together with such force that they no doubt went numb. The audience of recruits was less enthused, but their applause grew once they took in the scarlet-haired woman who strode onto the stage.

Blake growled at the sight, watching the woman stalk up to the podium in all her glory. Her outfit was identical to the first time she had seen her, Carmine still wore the same black jacket half-open, proudly displaying her crimson bra and toned stomach. Only her mask had changed in appearance; the white metal having been repainted to show a fiery sun on one side whose beams extended across the surface and dissipated as the mask curved across her face.

Blake brought her scroll to her ear, hoping to contact May while the din of the raucous applause faded. She was already speaking, Blake caught the trail end of her sentence.

" _-arently Carmine is here, and she's going to a warehouse afterwards. She left a note with the location._ "

"I don't think you'll need to look to hard to find her. . ." Blake trailed off.

" _What do you mean?_ "

"Stage." After a moment, she heard a harsh intake of breath from May's end of the line.

" _Shit, I see her. Alright, Blake? Get out of there as soon as you can. I'll make my exit and watch for you, just don't get caught. I have the information we need."_

"Okay," was all Blake managed to say as the sound dropped.

Carmine rested her gloved hands on the podium and looked carefully into the audience until silence reigned, the whole hall caught in her magnetic charisma. Blake, who stood near the back of the hall, began looking around carefully to double-check the positions of the guards and search for an escape route.

"I was never a big fan of giving big speeches in front of big crowds," Carmine began. "I've always considered myself to be more of an action-oriented individual. And, judging by all of you that have gathered here, you no doubt hold that same trait. Truly, it speaks to the great character of the Faunus, that you would come together to help in creating a better future. 'You can't fight violence with violence,'" she said, beginning to pace slowly across the stage. "We all grew up with that colorful little phrase, and maybe for a while, we even believed it. One of the many motivational phrases that Humans brandy about. 'If you want something, you have to grab it! Make your own future with your own two hands, don't let anything stop you! If you cease to believe in boundaries, nothing can stand in your way!'"

She let her hands fall with a huff. The crowd watched with rapt attention, as if they were crows eyeing a shiny treasure.

"'You can't fight violence with violence? Our dreams only require hard work?' Well, that's easy for the Humans to say, isn't it? What about us? What about the Faunus? Why is it that we have to suffer while greedy corporations like the Schnee Dust Company make a profit on our hard work? Why do our brothers and sisters break their backs in the dust mines of Remnant, only to die from overwork and dust inhalation? Why are we the ones upon whose bodies the foundation of the lofty Human society is built? Oh, but it's okay, because we get a comfy little desert island at the bottom of the world."

Her words were met with yells, jeers, and boos. Blake had seen rally speeches before, but few orators had ever whipped the crowd into a frenzy as quickly as Carmine was. Besides Roman Torchwick of course, but that was another level entirely. Carmine's words made Blake's skin crawl. They were all grievances she had shared once, and to a certain extent, still shared. Although she disagreed with the methods of the White Fang, she understood why so many had turned to them from lack of hope. When she was younger, she would've done nearly anything to fight for equality. If anything though, the frenzy of the crowd was allowing her to scan the area without standing out.

"'You can't fight violence with violence,'" Carmine repeated. "Can you not? After decades of asking for our rights to be respected, after years of torment, have our words really helped? Sure, we got Menagerie," she spat. "Sure, maybe some Faunus can can even get a decent job. But what about the rest of us? Faunus have always helped Humans for the goal of achieving peace, why hasn't that kindness been extended back, even in the slightest?"

Yells of agreement from the crowd surged upward in volume.

"It's because of one simple fact. We are second class citizens. And if we don't act, we always will be. When the Humans gave us Menagerie after the Great War, they made a statement. A statement that said 'You are nothing to us. We don't need you, and we don't want you.' Need I remind you, we fought beside them during the war. We laid down our lives, we battled every day so that we could see the same victory that they had imagined. And then, at the end of the tunnel, after we had put aside our differences to fight for the greater good, the Humans looked down on us. 'Victory,' they said, 'but not for you.'"

"Well, brethren of the White Fang, I ask of you this! Are we not Faunus?

The crowd cheered back with a resounding force, fists raised skyward. "Yes!"

"And are we not the bravest and most steadfast of them all?

"Yes!

"Are our rights worth fighting for?"

"Yes!"

"Then, if the Humans want to oppress us, can we recreate the word without them?"

"YES!"

"Actions speak louder than words. This is an undeniable truth of the world. It has been proven to us time and time again that we can't change anything with pretty words alone. And so, I would like to personally invite all of you to join our cause. This is the opportunity to fight for a better future, and work together in creating a world not by our words, but by our actions." Carmine leaned forward on the podium, baring her teeth in a radiant smile.

"Welcome to the White Fang."

The mass of bodies roiled as they cheered, drowning out the voices of the next White Fang speaker who tried in vain to get them into orderly lines. Blake allowed those around her to jostle her and press forward, all the while taking short steps back, unnoticed with the movement of the the bodies.

"Please, come this way," a White Fang shouted into the microphone, gesturing to the right side of the stage where civilians were ascending stairs to make their enlistment official. Blake did the exact opposite, slowly working her way backwards until a span of five meters separated her from the door that would lead to freedom. Deciding to risk it, she walked forward confidently, hoping her facade of superiority would allow her to leave unchecked.

A heavy hand came down on Blake's shoulder a moment later, causing her blood to freeze. "And where are you going, young miss?" asked the door guard who smiling wryly as Blake turned to face him. _Think Blake, think! I can't attack him here, that would cause too many problems. I need to say something believable, and fast!_ Grasping at straws, Blake said the first thing that came to her mind, allowing her voice to fall into a commanding tone that she hadn't used in over two years.

"Stand down. I'm here on orders," she barked, resisting the urge to cross her arms and break eye contact. If she were going to impersonate a White Fang, showing weakness was a sure way to get caught right out of the gate. As it was, the guard was not deterred.

"Oh yeah?" he asked, his voice registering no small amount of sarcasm. "Whose orders?"

"Classified. And I'll thank you to stay out of my business," she finished with a clipped tone, pushing forward while simultaneously brushing the man's hand from her shoulder. The guard stepped forward, barring her exit.

"You're a terrible liar. Now, you're going to tell me exactly who you are, and then we're gonna have a little chat in private."

Blake huffed, considering her options. If she were to give a false name and allow herself to be captured, she could most likely take him out by herself once they were in private. However, that would only be the case if he didn't speak to other guards first, which he would certainly do. If nothing else, this man seemed smart enough to tell his colleagues the situation and make sure the door wasn't left unguarded. Not to mention that if Blake were to be seen by Carmine or, god forbid, Adam, she would have no way to escape.

 _Or,_ she thought to herself, _I could count on the fact that he's from around here and doesn't have a huge amount of knowledge about the upper echelons of the organization. Plus, since May said she had information, it'd be best to save time._

"My name is Ilia Amitola, Third Lieutenant of the White Fang, Menagerie Division. I'll give you one more chance before I make your life a living hell. Stand. Down."

The man paled at her words, his skin immediately going white. "Miss Lieutenant! I'm so sorry, I had no idea you were going to be here!" he yelped, hastily removing his hand from Blake's shoulder.

 _He bought it!_ "Obviously, stealth was kinda the point."

"Of course, I should've known better, I just saw your ears and thought you were a cat Faunus, I didn't take the time to think that you could be wearing a disguise!" He stiffened into a salute, back going rigid.

"Exactly, you didn't _think._ Make sure to do so next time." The guard remained silent, not moving from his active salute. "As you were," Blake finally said, brushing past him. The door closed behind her and she visibly let out a breath of relief. _I can't believe that worked!_ Her gamble had paid off, she supposed her biggest stroke of luck was that Ilia evidently hadn't been promoted since she left. Blake shuddered to think what would've happened had she introduced herself with the wrong rank.

A quick sprint brought her around the nearest corner, where she pulled out her scroll. "May, are you there? I got out right when things were getting hectic."

" _Yep, I just got out myself, let's meet up and I'll show you what I found. Where are you?_ "

Once a meeting spot was arranged in an alley a couple blocks down, Blake leaned against the wall and was greeted a minute later by May, who walked around the corner and stood next to her.

"Like I mentioned earlier, I found a note written by none other than Carmine," she said, handing the note over. Blake read the contents quickly and then flipped the paper over, eyeing the map on the reverse side. "She even left a map, if we get going now we could probably beat her there and get set up."

"Wait wait wait," Blake stopped her, holding up her hand. "You make it sound like we're going to ambush her." May shifted under her gaze, shrugging.

"Well, it'd be stupid for us to let a chance like this slip through our fingers. You said we needed to get information; she's probably the one with the most." Blake didn't respond, mulling it over.

"May, you remember what happened last time. . ."

"I do," she confirmed with a grim nod, glancing down to eye her leg. "I won't soon forget. But this is our chance to finally get somewhere. This time, we'll be the ones with the advantage of surprise. If we work together, I think we can win."

"What if it's a trap?"

May immediately shook her head. "Doesn't matter. We're the ones who can decide how and when to attack. It being a trap just means we need to be more careful, and if we go now, we can make sure it isn't one."

Blake sighed, looking again at the map. "I suppose I can't run forever, huh?" May raised her eyebrow in question, but didn't say anything. Blake continued in order to explain. "I mean, if we can get information from Carmine, we'll be on the fast track to Adam."

"And the Lieutenant," May added.

"And the Lieutenant. The end always seemed so far away, but now it's like it's rushing to meet us."

"Well, don't jinx us just yet," May said, affectionately patting her on the shoulder. "Now let's go, we've got work to do."

"Right. May!"

May looked over her shoulder, already walking away. "Yeah?"

"I'll be counting on you." May turned back around, but Blake heard her chuckle.

"And I you."


	20. Carmine

**Thanks as always to all who read, review, follow, and favorite! We're approaching the final stages of this work; if all goes well I'd like to finish it in the next three weeks! We're going fast now, look forward to the rest!**

* * *

May and Blake arrived at the warehouse roughly fifteen minutes later, treading lightly and avoiding streetlights as the walked. Glancing out from behind a nearby building they scanned the area, making extra sure that there wasn't an ambush waiting for them.

"I don't see anybody," Blake said, pulling back to stand out of sight of the front doors. "Although, that doesn't rule out the possibility of an ambush waiting inside. If we're even in the right place." She pulled out the note with the map once more and double-checked it, shaking her head. "Well, we're at the right place. . ."

"Then I'll head to the roof and see if I can't look in through a skylight," May suggested, pointing out the section of wall she intended to climb. "How does that work?"

Blake nodded her affirmation. "Go ahead. Keep in touch, let me know if you see anything while you're up there. I suppose it's possible that nobody has showed up yet. If this isn't a trap, we'll at least have a convenient place to wait for them to arrive."

"Good thinking," May said before darting out from the building. She ran across the road and into an alley, one side of which consisted of the warehouse's wall. Listening for the sound of movement, she extended her fingertips to the wall, and after hearing nothing alarming, she activated her semblance, feeling the familiar pull on her aura. She shot up the side of the building with a leap, launching herself onto the metal roof. The slats jangled and echoed when she landed, bending ever so slightly under her weight. After another moment of waiting, she made her way to one of the large skylights that currently served to reflect the moonlight.

"I don't see anything," she spoke hesitantly, using both her naked eye and the scope of her rifle to scan the room for enemies. No matter where she looked, all she saw was the ordinary setup of a warehouse. Pallets of random material stood in assorted rows and small towers, large shelves housed huge canisters that were no doubt filled with dust. A smaller stack of crates caught her eye, she carefully scrutinized them through her scope. The white logo of the Schnee Dust Company stood out on the black surfaces, plainly advertising the raw dust crystals that were no doubt housed within.

She wrapped up her searching a moment later. "Alright Blake, I really don't see anything. I hate to be hasty, but I honestly don't believe this is a trap."

Blake's voice sounded through her scroll in response. " _But why would Carmine have left a note at the rally then, if it wasn't even going to reach him?"_

"That's the question, isn't it? Maybe she forgot to send it," she mused. "Or perhaps it was going to be sent shortly, but I interrupted the guards that were supposed to deliver it?" She shrugged, forgetting for a moment that Blake wouldn't see her action. "Well anyway, why don't you come in through the front? I've got a good view of most of the warehouse, if there are people inside after all, I can back you up from up here."

" _Okay, I'll be there in a sec. Watch my back."_

"You got it." Although she listened carefully, May couldn't hear the patter of Blake's footsteps as she silently made her approach. _At least one of us is stealthy._

" _Alright, I'm in position to enter the building. You ready?"_

"Yep. Once you're in, there's a crate to the left of the door, it'll be at your 11 o'clock. Use it for cover."

" _Alrighty, on your mark."_

"Okay. Three. Two. One. Mark!"

The door burst open, admitting a flit of shadow and a small amount of moonlight, before banging closed once again. Blake Immediately dove behind cover, Gambol Shroud split apart, Blake prepared to strike. They were met with only resounding silence. May checked the warehouse a third time, keeping her eye open for the slightest movement or any strange shapes. Nothing.

" _I think we're alone here,"_ Blake said, her voice clear in May's ear. May sighed in response.

"Looks that way. I'll come down and try to get set up inside, seems we'll be playing the waiting game."

" _There's a little office area, I'll check it out. See you soon."_

May slid her scroll shut after hearing Blake's affirmative, activating her semblance once again to slide down the side of the warehouse. A minute later, she opened the front door and entered the building.

She was alerted by the sound of a door clicking shut and wheeled to face the small office space, only to see Blake exit. "There's nothing worthwhile here, just some pretty normal cataloguing documents and the like."

"Really? That's it? Isn't this place a dust shipment area for the White Fang?" Blake merely shrugged in response.

"True, but beyond that this place is remarkably normal. If you ignore the fact that most of this dust is stolen, then it's just a normal dust distributing warehouse."

"Then I would've expected it to have greater security. . ."

"That would make it a target, or at the very least raise city suspicions. Although, it's equally likely that the guards that are normally here were at the rally, securing the premises there," Blake speculated.

"Find any good spots for an ambush?" May asked, changing the subject. "If Carmine does show up, we need to be ready to beat her."

"This is a pretty wide open space," Blake responded, gesturing to the warehouse. "In terms of fighting, I'm pretty comfortable here, although the lack of cover does concern me."

May flashed her a smile, bending over to push a crate toward the edge of the room, thereby creating even less cover. "That's why you've got me. The less cover there is for enemies to hide behind, the more I can do to keep them off your back." Blake joined her in pushing another crate to the edge of the room.

"In that case, I think we've got a good chance. Unlike last time, I'm hoping this will be a much fairer fight."

"It's a matter of perspective really," May chuckled. "We're launching a surprise attack, so I don't know if I'd call it fair. But either way, it's necessary."

"Yeah. I don't know how much combat experience Carmine has, but if she's a high-ranking member of the White Fang, I'd wager that it won't be an easy fight."

"If I keep your surroundings clear and then help you out, how high are our chances of winning, do you think?" May asked, attempting, and only partway succeeding, in crushing her nervousness with logic and statistics. It wasn't that she expected the fight to go smoothly, far from it. Carmine would no doubt have a few surprises up her sleeve, but with the combined efforts of Blake's close-quarters attack and May's preemptive sniping, they at least had a chance. And that was much more than when they had first met her.

"I think. . . If we don't do anything reckless, we've got a real chance. After that, I suppose some of it is simply luck," Blake answered. Her ears twitched, but didn't lie flat.

"We'll just have to work with it." May turned away and hoisted herself ungracefully onto one of the shelves that lined the warehouse walls, placing herself across from the door. Shifting crates to serve as a sniping platform, she was distracted by watching Blake in fascination.

Blake threw the bladed pistol portion of Gambol Shroud forcefully into the air, curling her empty fist in triumph as the ribbon coiled around a metal beam high above. Gripping the dangling ribbon tightly, she began pulling herself up, relying only on the strength of her arms. As she had previously ditched her jacket to allow for more mobility, her back muscles stood out clearly, gleaming in the moonlight.

 _Damn,_ May thought to herself, giving a low whistle as she watched Blake reach the top. She laughed as her fingers curled around the beam, pulling herself the rest of the way up. "You like what you see?" Blake called from her perch.

"Yeah yeah, don't let it get to your head," May snapped back, hoping to hide the color in her cheeks by adjusting the ribbon on her head. "You ever hear the folk tale about the woman who seduced Lady Luck?"

Blake hummed in response. "That's the one with the pirate queen, right? During her whole life as a pirate, she would always give thanks to Lady Luck after a good plunder. One day the pirate queen got into a bind with the government, and for the first time, she prayed to Lady Luck _before_ battle."

"Lady Luck gave her blessing, and then, once the battle was over, appeared before the victorious pirate queen in human form," May continued, "and since the pirate queen was good with words, she successfully seduced Lady Luck, who had been loyal to her all her life."

"And they lived happily ever after," Blake finished, smiling. "That's a good one. Why do you bring it up?"

"It's a very popular folk tale in Vacuo, I heard it all the time growing up. I was just thinking that we could use some luck right now."

"Well, why don't you seduce Lady Luck for us then?"

"I- wait, what?!" May's thought process ground to a halt. _Does she honestly expect me to dirty-talk to a folk tale goddess right now?_

"Seduce Lady Luck, May," Blake teased. "What would you say to her if you wanted her by your side?"

"I'm not too sure I'm the 'seductive' type. . . Like, I don't even have a mental image of what she'd look like!" May said, desperately searching for a way out. Not desperately enough.

"Well, how about a woman wearing a white dress that shows off her muscles, fair skin and. . . black hair?"

 _With cat ears?_ May nearly added, infinitely glad she hadn't. She congratulated herself for not speaking, but immediately berated herself for the turn her thoughts suddenly took, of which the black-haired beauty on the metal beam high above was the subject. _Don't think about Blake, don't think about Blake._

"I guess I'll give it a go." _I can't believe I'm doing this._

"Don't worry, I'm sure Lady Luck is forgiving," Blake said, attempting to reassure her.

"What, do you know her or something?"

"Maybe. . ."

May responded with a drawn out sigh which turned into a grow halfway through. "Lady Luck," she began, closing her eyes, doing her best and failing to not picture Blake. _Damn you for putting that image in my mind!_ "For my entire life I've sailed the high seas, praying to you and only you for your virtue. If you would allow me to steal that virtue for myself, I'm sure you would consider yourself a lucky lady who gets lucky as much as she gives it."

Blake thought for a moment, resting her chin in her palm. "That was. . . actually really well put together. You spoke it kindly, but the sexual undertones got my heart racing! I had expected something incredibly crass."

"What, did you want something from a smutty romance novel?" May shot back, cheeks still burning. "Well too bad, cause that's the best you're- that's the best _she's_ gonna get!"

"It'll have to be good enough," Blake said with a final laugh, turning her attention to the door to end the conversation. "I hate to cut this short, but they could be here any minute. You ready?"

"I am," May responded, levering Lilac to chamber an explosive dust round. Depending on the amount of White Fang members coming, there would be no time for mercy. "Be careful," May said, drawing up her more serious attitude with a deep breath.

"You too."

* * *

The first sign of the incoming group was the rattle of the doorknob as somebody on the other side slotted a key into it. It opened a second later, admitting a small group of White Fang members. May counted them as they strolled in, completely unaware of the two presences in the room that weren't their own. There were four in total, and Carmine made five as she entered the warehouse, moonlight playing over her crimson hair making it appear a more rosy color.

From her spot hidden behind a cluster of crates, May watched as they spread out, one of them scratching her head in confusion. "Huh? Why're all the crates at the edges of the room? This some sort of housekeeping or something?"

Carmined joined her in looking around the room, placing her right hand on her waist. Contrasting her relaxed appearance, the muscles in her left arm flexed as she gripped her scabbard more tightly. "It must've been the group before us. Maybe they wanted to make a good impression since they knew I'd be coming to inspect. Though it _is_ a sloppy clean up job," she growled, beginning to look around the room herself.

May caught Blake's attention, who still hid in the rafters above. A curt nod gave her all the confirmation she needed. Taking in her targets once again, she lowered Lilac, adjusting her aim until the purple reticle rested on the collarbone of the guard. Shooting at Carmine was bound to be a waste of time, she would've had to have been incredibly stupid to not have her aura raised once she realized something was amiss. Granted, she could catch Carmine by surprise, but the dust round would more than likely deflect and ruin her chances to thin the numbers.

Evidently, Lady Luck had heard her earlier prayer, for when May lined up her shot, another guard approached her intended target from behind.

With a growl May pulled the trigger, the dust round shooting through the air with an echo. Through the flare from the muzzle brake, May watched as the round caved the woman's collarbone in an instant, piercing through her chest and exiting the other side. The man behind her, truly a victim of unfortunate circumstance, was hit by the exiting bullet a split-second later, splattered with his teammate's blood. The round lodged in his abdomen, having lost a large amount of speed while breaking through his aura. Unfortunately, his aura had probably only delayed the inevitable; his death would now be long and painful.

The woman hit the ground a second later silently, having lost the life force necessary to scream. Behind her, the second White Fang fell over backwards with a gasp, his face immediately turning ashen.

Two for the price of one. It was a shot May had made before, with pride. Not anymore. Forcing the acid in her throat down she lined up her next target, dropping her reticle to a third guard.

Blake took that moment to drop from the rafters, plunging toward the ground like a black shadow. She broke her fall by plunging both portions of Gambol Shroud into the chest of the third guard, landing on top of him and crushing him to the ground. She rolled from the impact, changing her falling momentum into a heavy shoulder strike, knocking the fourth guard off his feet. As he stood to make a counterattack, May ended his life by placing a dust round through his ribs.

Blake turned to ready an attack on Carmine, but she had drawn her sword at the first sign of danger, holding it in a guarded position. She backed up slowly, placing herself so that Blake stood in between her and May. After hearing only two shots, and even while factoring in the pandemonium of combat, Carmine had successfully protected herself and discovered May's location. Gritting her teeth, May stood, revealing her position. _I suppose she's not a White Fang higher-up for no reason._

"I thought you two might be here," Carmine stated, acknowledging May with a nod of her head. "I figured that you'd seen my note when I found my guards knocked out in the control room and upper floor. Enjoy it?" she asked, baring her teeth in a smile.

"So you did plant that there," Blake said.

"Yes and no, I was actually planning to come here anyway, I just assumed I'd be able to bait you with a note as well. I'm a two birds with one stone kinda gal, after all."

"Your 'bait' didn't quite work. Your guards are dead, you call this a success?" May growled, jumping down from her position on the shelf. Carmine shrugged, reaching up to remove her jacket as she did so.

"It drew you out, didn't it?" she replied cooly. "The loss of life is regrettable, but they can take pride in knowing that they didn't die in vain. No, they died drawing out two of the White Fang's most dangerous targets. I don't appreciate you killing my men, but I appreciate them dying in vain even less. Their sacrifice will be well-spent in killing you." She spoke calmly, as if she weren't actually angry with them. "That being said," she continued, walking over to her one living member, the one who had been shot in the abdomen by May, "I'm not inclined to let my men suffer pointlessly."

She punctuated her words with a swift swing of her blade. The man's head rolled away from his body. "We may have our differences, but I'm sure you can see the logic behind my decisions."

"Then the same goes for us," Blake shot back, raising her blades in a ready stance. "This isn't personal, but we need some information."

"It's personal for me," May interjected, raising her rifle. "You put quite a nasty scar on my leg."

"At the risk of sounding cliche, whatever information you want, you'll have to fight me for," Carmine responded.

"Then be prepared to die for it. You've hurt a lot of people, and that ends here."

"We'll see. Adam will be quite happy when he finds out I dealt with the two of you," she said, raising her blade into a ready stance. "Now come at me!"

Blake did just that, rushing forward to strike from above, swinging the cleaver portion of Gambol shroud in a wide downward arc. Carmine parried the blow easily, deflecting it to the side. Already anticipating the movement, Blake crouched low and preserved her momentum by spinning on her heel, slashing with her katana. Carmine opted to drop low as well, stopping the strike by planting her sword tip-first in the concrete.

May fired a dust round in between the two, preemptively countering whatever movement Carmine was considering. Instead, both she and Blake jumped backwards in response to the shot, creating distance. Carmine's blade was up and ready to block the following shot, which May had attempted to place in her hip. The bullet flew wide, diving into the warehouse wall.

Without missing a beat Blake attacked again, her blades clattering against Carmine's as the woman moved to block the strikes, effortlessly positioning her blade so that minimum movement was necessary between blocks. Two more of Blake's slashes bounced off her blade before she made her first strike.

Confident in her own speed to keep her from harm, Carmine lunged forward with an elbow strike, connecting with Blake's chest. As she stumbled backwards, Carmine kept up the attack, twirling as her sword swept at Blake with furious circular motions, each attack made from a different angle. Blake was kept on her toes, only just able to deflect each strike before they came dangerously close to cutting into her.

As she attacked, Carmine stepped around Blake, once again placing Blake between her and May. Then, without warning, she pivoted on her heel to reverse her direction and slashed out in a wide arc at Blake's torso. Blake managed to cross Gambol Shroud in front of her chest just in time but the force of the blow knocked her backwards, heat stealing the breath from her lungs. Smoke suffused the air as Carmine rested her blade on her shoulder, a trail of roiling fire left in its wake. The flames lit the room, casting a long shadow from her feet.

"So, your semblance is fire, is that it?" Blake panted, gasping to refill her lungs. She brought her blades back up, taking aim with her pistol.

"Not quite," Carmine corrected, a smug smile on her lips, "my semblance allows me to ignite oxygen with my touch to create fire. You're feeling pretty out of breath aren't you, even though we just started fighting?" Her smile widened at Blake's lack of response. "Careful, I'm the type of woman that leaves my enemies breathless."

Chambering an explosive fire dust cartridge, May took careful aim at Carmine's flaming blade while she spoke, hoping to shoot over Blake's shoulder and knock the woman's sword from her hands. She pulled the trigger, feeling the kick of her rifle and the subsequent clang as the bullet hit Carmine's sword. Her fleeting feeling of triumph turned to confusion as she realized that Carmine still held her sword. _But how? Fire dust is supposed to explode on impact, the explosion should've ripped the sword from her hand. Was the bullet defective? No way, I made it myself!_

Carmine let out a single bark of laughter, focusing her attention on May. "Was that an explosive fire dust crystal, by chance?" May didn't grace her with a response, instead gritting her teeth at the woman's superior tone. "Didn't I tell you? My semblance ignites oxygen. If there isn't any oxygen left to fuel it, how could an explosion take place?"

May ejected the magazine, letting it clatter to the floor. A new one took its place, slotting into Lilac with a click. _She's right, that was stupid of me._ "Then I'll just have to use stronger dust rounds!" May shouted, taking aim once again while she chambered a new round.

Carmine readied her blade once again, prepared to block the next bullet. "Stronger won't do you any good," she warned.

May fired regardless, the shot whizzing right past Blake's ears. Blocking by bracing the blade with her hand, the bullet slammed into the midsection of Carmine's blade, flash-freezing and covering a footlong span of the metal with clear ice. "What the-" she began to say, but was interrupted by Blake's subsequent attack.

Placing all her weight into the blow, Blake struck with a vicious downward arc, attempting to slam both weapons simultaneously into Carmine's shoulders. With an explosion of steam and the sound of glass shattering, Carmine blocked the blow, her blade free from the ice. Water splashed onto them and the ground with a wet _splat._

Pushing her off, Carmine reared back and struck out with a series of thrusts, following up with a high cut and then a low cut. Although Blake managed to block most of them, a couple thrusts slipped through her guard, only her aura stopping Carmine's blade from sliding easily into the spaces between her ribs. The final strike pushed Blake back once again, removing her from May's target path, where she knelt on the ground, gasping for air.

Another shot rang out as May fired twice, aiming the first for Carmine's chest, and then immediately dropping the barrel and firing a dust round into the ground at her feet. Carmine intercepted the first shot with ease, allowing the ice to once again cover her blade. Now that she was expecting it, she couldn't be caught by surprise. May's second shot, however, hit the ground, flash-freezing the water that had collected there, covering the concrete with a thin sheet of ice.

Recovered, Blake took the opening and rushed forward, throwing the kusarigama ahead. In a show of incredible deftness, Carmine dodged the spinning blade, cutting through the ribbon with her flaming sword as it passed her by. Her smug expression switched to one of surprise as she stumbled, having lost her balance slipping on the ice beneath her feet. She looked up just in time to receive Blake's cleaver straight to her face, knocking her down and to the ground.

May shot at Carmine's prone body, the final two dust rounds impacting her legs and pinning her to the ground with ice. She sat up as Blake approached, brandishing her blade. With a mighty yell, the metal was engulfed in a whiter flame, May could feel its heat even from a distance. The ice on Carmine's legs turned instantly to steam, evaporating into the air. Blake stopped short, holding up her cleaver to guard from any incoming attacks, but Carmine merely picked herself up from the scorched concrete, huffing, the flames no longer flickering from her blade.

"I underestimated you two," she panted, leaning on her blade for support. "I thought this would be much more like last time, with you helpless to fight against me."

"We've grown since then," Blake simply stated, pointing at her with her cleaver. "We'll give you one more chance. Where is Adam, and how can we find him?"

Carmine stood straight, pushing herself off from resting on her blade. "Like I said, you'll have to fight me for the right to that info. And my fights don't end until one of us is dead."

"So be it," Blake growled, her words punctuated as May ejected the magazine from her rifle, slotting a new one into place. Blake widened her stance, gripping Gambol Shroud's cleaver with both hands. With a spark, Carmine's blade ignited once more.

May slowly advanced as she fired round after round of ice dust at Carmine, each round easily dodged or deflected. The deflected shots froze various sections of the warehouse walls indiscriminately, while the ones that connected with her blade froze just as quickly as they melted, giving off a near constant wave of steam.

Carmine took the initiative this time, closing the gap between her and Blake in an instant with a flaming thrust that Blake just barely managed to push to the side. The ring of blows echoed in the hall, each hit feeling like it was dragging through the air, the strength of both combatants fading.

One particular swing Carmine blocked by bracing the tip of her blade against her shoulder, making Blake's attack bounce off as if she'd struck a brick wall. Lunging into the counter, Carmine stepped forward and smashed her blade into Blake's side, Blake's aura barely keeping the metal from biting into her skin and scorching her muscles to ash. Unable to breathe from her oxygen being stolen, Blake stumbled backwards, tripping over her own feet as she convulsed in an attempt to fill her lungs.

May covered her escape, emptying the rest of her magazine at Carmine, taking minimal time to aim. Carmine blocked most of the shots but couldn't prevent two of them from hitting her chest, the clear ice growing over her bare skin rapidly. As May helped Blake to her feet, Carmine thawed herself and her sword a final time, the flames that writhed on the edge of her blade appearing more pale and lazy in color, flickering.

Blake filled her lungs with deep breaths of air, taking as much oxygen as possible, and then exhaling until her lungs were completely empty. She repeated the process twice more before she held her breath, rushing forward, her blade ringing against Carmine's with a peal of finality. She attacked savagely from below with all her weight, forcing Carmine to parry higher and higher, her guard battered repeatedly upward.

A moment later, Blake stepped to the side, the sudden release of pressure causing Carmine to stumble when the attack never came. Instead, she barely managed to block three shots from May, who had advanced to maximize her target area. The ice rounds froze over Carmine's blade completely, reducing it to a dead weight. The metal fell from her hands, far too heavy to swing with any sort of efficiency. Blake's subsequent kick caught her full force in the chest and launched her back.

May pulled the trigger a final time, the round thundering through the air as it hit its target. Aura gave way to crystallized dust in a crimson flash, the metal bullet entering Carmine's hip and exiting through the opposite side of her body. Uninhibited by aura, ice crystals grew from the bullet wound, spreading outward in crystal spikes that pierced flesh before stopping. Carmine immediately went limp and hit the ground silently, her mouth open in a cry of pain.

Blake was at her side a moment later, kicking her blade far out of reach. May hovered on the opposite side, her rifle aimed at Carmine's chest lest she try to attack anymore.

They needn't have worried; Carmine coughed up a mouthful of blood a moment later. She tried to sit up, but abandoned the idea after raising her head an inch from the ground, realizing that her body would no longer support any type of movement.

"Don't move," Blake warned, albeit superfluously.

"I- I failed," Carmine gasped, her shaking hands attempting to find the wound. She pressed on it, but was too weak to stop any of the bleeding. "I'm sorry I couldn't stop them, Adam. All I wanted was to be useful."

"We won," Blake said curtly, pressing the edge of her cleaver harder into Carmine's neck. "Tell us where he is." Carmine screwed her eyes shut.

"Even if I knew-ahhh! I. . . wouldn't tell you." She was gasping for air, each movement of her chest causing her body to spasm with pain. "Girl," she suddenly growled, addressing May. "You're smart, using ice dust to force me to waste my semblance thawing my blade. I hope you're satisfied with your revenge."

"Maybe on you," May responded, lowering her rifle. She shook her head then, continuing in wistful tone, "But the rest of the White Fang? No, not ever."

"Why did you do it?" Blake suddenly asked, also lowering her weapon. "Why would you hurt so many innocent people? Even in the name of equality, that's. . ."

"Because-" Carmine began, gritting her teeth in pain, "'Cause I'm weak. The White Fang was the only path I ever considered, because it was easy for me." Tears began beading on her lashes. "I always did have a habit of falling for stupid guys and following them until the very end. And now, it looks like it's too late to change." She broke off to gasp for breath. "In that sense, I guess I've succeeded."

"It's not too late. I once loved Adam too, before he turned into a monster," Blake said, kneeling. Carmine opened her eyes and met Blake's.

"All I wanted was- to feel like I was helping. I don't think the cause would've mattered to me, as long as I felt as if I were needed."

"It's not too late," Blake said gently, reaching down to clasp one of her hands. "Tell us where Adam is, and we'll end this. Please, it's never too late to change. Trust me."

Carmine's breathing grew weaker, shaking, and more blood droplets collected on her lips.

"I wasn't lying. I don't know where. . ."

"Blake," May warned, standing at attention. "I hear sirens. Maybe a minute away, tops. We need to get out of here, it's a bloodbath."

"Alright," Blake responded, waiting for a moment more before standing as well. "Carmine. Would you like me to end your pain?"

As best she could, Carmine shook her head from side to side. "This pain is the least I deserve. And. . . I have some things to think about. . . before I go."

"Okay," Blake responded, beginning to walk away.

"Wait-"

Blake turned back in time to see Carmine reaching towards them. "Your name. It's Blake, right?" She waited for Blake's nod of affirmation to continue. "You were the one person Adam could never get over. I was always jealous of that, but I never hated you. I never hated either of you."

Blake and May exchanged a short glance. "We need to go," May urged. "We can't stay here." A gurgling cough from Carmine drew their attention.

"Adam said he has a plan to draw you out soon. Prepare while you still have the time."

"Thank you, but why are you telling us this?" Blake asked, retrieving the pistol portion of Gambol Shroud from the floor.

"Because," Carmine choked out, tears streaming down her face, "I want to change."

Blake sighed, walking to the wall of the warehouse where May was waiting, semblance ready to escape.

"Thank you, Carmine. In your next life. . . I wish you luck."

By the time the police burst through the door May and Blake were gone, having left the building through the roof with May's semblance.


	21. May Zedong

**Wow, this is wrapping up more quickly than I expected! Writing the finishing stretch has increased my motivation quite a bit, look forward to the final few chapters! As always, thank you for your readership, reviews, favorites, and follows, I wouldn't do it if it weren't for you!**

* * *

Blake and May stumbled into the apartment, utterly exhausted. Although neither of their auras had even broken during the fight with Carmine, the mental exhaustion that accompanied sneaking into the White Fang rally and subsequently ambushing Carmine had taken the fight from their muscles. Blake made a beeline to the bed, crashing onto the covers unceremoniously, without even removing her jacket or shoes. May opted for the space next to her, allowing their legs to overlap on the sheets since Blake had taken up the majority of the bed. Too tired to shift, the two merely lay there, mentally processing the events of the night.

"I was like her once," Blake suddenly said, turning over to face the ceiling.

"Like Carmine, you mean?" May asked, still face down in the pillow.

"Yeah. I fell for the White Fang militarization, hook line and sinker. I only made it out because I was scared of what Adam had become." She sighed thoughtfully, eyes searching for some sort of meaning amongst the shadows of the ceiling. "I think we were somewhat alike."

"Don't forget, you did actually leave," May pointed out, rolling onto her side to address her. "You left because Adam changed, while she stayed with him even knowing exactly what he was. I think your similarities only extend to the situation you found yourselves in."

Blake nodded, evidently appeased by the answer. "I suppose you're right. It's still hard though, I can't help but feel sad."

"I know what you mean. At the very end she seemed. . . confused. I dunno, it's like she had a clear idea of what to do but wasn't sure if she should stop following it, and by the time she made up her mind, it was too late."

Blake turned away, closing her eyes. "Well, I'm going to try to get some sleep. Today has been a lot to take in, I'm not even sure how I'm supposed to feel right now."

"Give it some time," May advised, already closing her eye. "Don't feel like you _have_ to feel anything, just go with what's natural. Personally, I just want to deal with whatever tomorrow brings after I wake up."

They made themselves comfortable in the minutes that followed, Blake pulling her jacket off and at one point covering the two of them with a blanket. May removed the ribbon from her face, planning to drop it off the side of the bed, but then placed it down on the floor with care. The moonlight, obscured by clouds, did little to bother them.

"Hey May?"

"Yeah?" May yawned in response.

"Do you think if I had met her earlier that I could've saved her?"

May was silent for a moment, thinking it over. "I guess there's no way to know for sure. I can only say maybe."

"Hmm. Goodnight."

"Night."

* * *

When the two of them woke up the next morning they went out to eat, at Blake's request. A waffle house provided them with their brunch which they ate in relative silence, each staring out of the large bay windows into the horizon, lost in their own thoughts. Blake picked at her food, her appetite not nearly strong enough to justify eating; she forced the food down regardless, knowing she would likely get hungry later if she didn't eat. The food wasn't bad, at least.

"We should stop by a dust shop," May mentioned as they paid their bill and exited into the breezy Vale streets. Blake shivered with the cold, wrapping her jacket tighter around herself before zipping it up. Winter was certainly right around the corner.

"If Adam has a plan to lure us out, we should be ready at any time," May continued, "I used a lot of dust rounds during last night's fight and could stand to resupply anyway."

"I don't necessarily need to, but it'd be great to grab a new ribbon for Gambol Shroud," Blake agreed, patting her back where the weapon was concealed. "Carmine ruined by last one."

"Oh, here, let me give you mine back-" May began, but was cut off by Blake's raised hand.

"No no, that was a gift," she said with a smile. "Keep it, I'll grab a new one." May didn't push the issue, instead leading the way down the street.

 _From Dust Till Dawn,_ the diminutive shop that Ruby had always visited, came into view after a short walk. May, still broke, wrapped up her business within quickly, purchasing enough dust with Blake's Lien to make her cringe. _What I wouldn't give to have Weiss here, her discounts were the best._ Having the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company on her team had had its benefits, to be sure.

"Sorry," May said apologetically when she noticed Blake's expression. "I can cut back if you really need me too, I know this stuff gets expensive."

"Oh no, it wasn't that. It's just that buying dust was something my team would always do together, back in Beacon. I was just thinking about them."

"Well, you'll see them again I'm sure," May chided, punching her playfully on the arm. "Isn't that what all this is about? Making them safe? So wipe that frown off your face, we've got stuff to do."

She turned to walk away but Blake caught her shoulder. Bringing up teams was a sensitive issue, one that she should've been more careful about. "I'm sorry, I should've been more careful mentioning my team. I know it's painful for you."

"Don't be," May said, placing her hand on Blake's and half-turning to address her. "My team and I had many good memories, and those are the ones I want to focus on. It's the same for you, right?"

Blake nodded. "Yeah, I suppose it is."

"Then there's no problem," she said, winking, "as long as you let me use your money!" Blake gave in with a good-natured groan.

"If I have to."

"You do! It's your fault I don't have money in the first place, remember?"

Blake thought back to their first meeting, where she had come in through the window and knocked the sniper unconscious. _But wait, wouldn't that technically have been our third meeting? Or was that the fourth?_ May did have a point though, Blake hadn't taken the case that held her rifle, in which her wallet had allegedly been stowed.

"That was a long time ago, wasn't it?" Blake mentioned, walking at May's side. "I feel like we've gotten to know each other pretty well."

May snorted. "Well I'm not trying to kill you, so that's a plus. But damn, you're right. The time really does fly." Falling silent, she spoke again a minute later. "Ya know? It hasn't been all bad." She stopped in her tracks, looking at Blake as she wanted to reach out and embrace her. Instead, she reached a hand out and awkwardly shook Blake's. "Thanks for being around."

Blake smiled as May turned away with an embarrassed huff, walking more quickly. She couldn't lie to herself, the tentative alliance built on necessity and distrust had eventually formed, at least in her mind, into a true bond of mutual respect and friendship. Trusting that May felt the same was hard; Blake was by nature not a very trustworthy person. However, recently she felt that May had been especially open to her, more willing to discuss nearly anything. And recently, she had also been more prone to physical contact, not shying away from the occasional touch.

A cloud covered the sun as they walked, casting the two of them in a momentary shadow. The memory of the night when May had attempted to sleep with her surfaced in Blake's mind, causing her to frown. The situation had been bad, yes, but she could understand May's decision-making process. However, it was what May had said afterwards, the next morning, that brought a slight smile to her face. "I don't view you as a tool, or a means to an end," she had said. Blake knew May would only have said those words if she were truly sorry for her actions, but furthermore, it sounded to her almost as if May was attempting to tell her more. That she didn't want Blake _only_ to be a tool for sex.

Although they teased each other constantly, she felt as if there was something truthful about the way May teased; she wasn't simply messing around for her own amusement.

Blake watched the sun peek out from its cloudy curtain. _I don't think I am either._

* * *

In the next three days Blake and May did their best to relax, despite the threat looming over their heads. Carmine's information had been sparse, a mere warning that kept them on edge, never letting their weapons out of their sights. During the few times they left to go shopping, they brought their weapons with them, going so far as to enter stores without removing them first. Such conduct was by no means illegal, but it did draw more attention and strange looks than they were accustomed to. It was a small price to pay for being prepared.

When they weren't out they sat on opposite sides of the bed, brainstorming aloud what kind of plan Adam could've come up with to lure them out. Not even feeling safe in their own apartment, Blake had taken glancing out the window every now and then to make sure their living space wasn't under threat of immediate attack. "Calm down, Carmine specifically said that he had a plan to draw us out. She wouldn't have used those words if he were planning on attacking us here," May had pointed out. It eased Blake's worries somewhat, but only barely. She checked the window from time to time still, just to be safe.

It was during one such discussion that May's scroll vibrated. Handing her bowl of stir-fry to Blake, she reached over and palmed the device. "Ah, it's from Yurie!" she exclaimed sliding the scroll open.

"Maybe she was able to find something out!" Blake responded, her feline ears standing on end in excitement. A hitch in May's breath was the first sign of something wrong. Wordlessly, she turned her scroll to show Blake the screen, which displayed a single word message from Yurie.

 _Help._

The single word sent a jolt of panic through Blake's muscles. "What is this?" she hissed, putting both dinner bowls on the floor without her usual care, paying no heed to the rice that spilled. "What happened? Is there more? Text her back!"

"Should I?" May asked, eye wide. "What if she's in trouble, could sending a message blow her cover or something?"

"Do it anyway. If she's asking for help, we need to expect the worst has happened. Ask where she is, for starters," Blake commanded, forcing herself to take deep breaths to remain calm. "Otherwise she could be anywhere, we need to find out where she is." As May began typing, Blake jumped from the mattress and pulled on her jacket and combat boots.

"Alright, I'm hitting se- oh shit, she just sent an address!" May said, staring at the screen intently. "Recognize it?" She threw the scroll to Blake and began dressing herself for combat as well.

"No," Blake said, pulling out her scroll to cross reference. May strapped her rifle to her back while Blake searched. "If the address is anything to go by, this place is in the Commercial District, near the piers. A hotel." May's hastily raised eyebrow prompted her to continue as she threw the scroll back to its owner. "West side of Vale, cruise ships, exchange students? You probably docked there."

May nodded, looking at the most recent message one more time. "Blake. Blake," she called, interrupting her as she placed Gambol Shroud on her back. "I don't think she's the one who sent this."

Blake froze in place. "What do you mean. Isn't that her number?"

"Yeah, but look," May said, showing Blake the address once again. "Does this look like the writing of somebody who's in trouble?"

Blake's stomach plummeted as she took in May's words. The address was written out correctly, the same format one would use when addressing a postcard. Too perfect. If Yurie had managed to make herself safe enough to write out the address, she probably wouldn't need help in the first place. And if she did, there was no reason for her to take so much time to painstakingly write out the address, assuming she knew it anyway. Knowing that Yurie would only ask for help if she truly needed it, the other possibility became more likely.

"Somebody has her scroll," Blake concluded. More magazines were hastily strapped to her waist.

"We need to go!" May barked, keeping the scroll in hand while she unlatched the front door of the apartment. "It's obviously a trap, but that doesn't matter, Yurie has been nothing but helpful to us. We owe her. You ready?"

Blake nodded her confirmation, closing the door behind her as May sprinted out ahead, running in the direction of the train station. _Shit. SHIT!_ She had known _something_ was going to happen, but she didn't figure that Yurie was the one Adam's plan had been built around. And, if May's face was any indication, neither had she.

They rushed onto the Commercial District-bound train, adrenaline already coursing through their veins. When it became clear that at least fifteen minutes of downtime were in the immediate future while they waited for the train to reach its destination, May began pacing restlessly back and forth across the car. Blake sat down, thoughts whirling.

 _If Yurie got caught, then it's possible that the White Fang knew about her involvement with us from an earlier stage. Each piece of intel Yurie has given has led to either Adam, Carmine, or the Lieutenant, when the odds of that happening are relatively low. Not to mention, Adam was prepared to trap us at the casino, and Carmine planned specifically for our arrival at the rally._

Cursing, she explained these thoughts out loud to May who nodded in agreement, her pacing uninterrupted.

May was about to make a comment when her scroll vibrated once more. Stopping dead in her tracks, her visage turned a sickly white as she opened the newest message. "Oh fuck," she gasped, dropping the scroll. It clattered on the floor, landing face-down.

"What is it?" When May made no move to respond or to pick it up, Blake leaned over and examined the screen for herself.

The image that appeared displayed Yurie, splayed out on the floor with blood running from multiple cuts and gashes that had been torn through her clothing. A mixture of blood and spit ran from the corner of her mouth. She was unconscious from the looks of it, but it wouldn't take much more to place her permanently out of reach of medical professionals' help. On her chest rested a heavy bloodstained boot, belonging to whomever had taken the image and sent it.

"It's the Lieutenant," May whispered, sitting down once again. "I recognize the boot, he's the one who did this. He's the only one fucked up enough to do this."

Blake exhaled slowly, handing the scroll back to May. She turned it over, refusing to look at the image for a moment, then looked at it again, breathing quickening. "So it _is_ a trap," Blake confirmed. "He's messing with us, trying to get in our heads. But it doesn't change our course of action. We need to keep our heads level."

May ignored her entirely. "How did he catch her?" she asked, her question possibly rhetorical. She continuously wrung her hands, searching for anything to keep her fingers busy.

"She's been helping us out alot. Maybe too much," Blake sighed, the sinking feeling in her stomach a combination of guilt, worry, and fear.

"Do you think. . . she's gonna be okay?" May said, looking at the image again. Blake reached out and covered the scroll with her hand, curling May's fingers in her own.

"Don't look at it anymore." When May merely stared at where the image had been a moment, before, Blake gripped her shoulder with her other hand, turning May towards her.

"May, look at me." She waited for May to comply before continuing. "If Yurie is being held as ransom, they can't kill her. We have no reason to come if she's dead, alright? She's going to be okay. We're going to rescue her, but we can't just run in blindly. Why don't you close your eyes and focus on your breathing, alright? It'll help you calm down."

May complied, shaking her head a moment later and opening her eye again. "I-I can't," she said, voice shaking. "I keep seeing the picture when I close my eye." May took another deep breath, the words rushing out of her mouth, "I'm panicking, Blake, I can't breathe!"

Blake immediately turned sideways on the seat and reached out to the back of May's head, pulling her forward until their foreheads touched. "Look at me," Blake said, gently but firmly. "Look into my eye, May." May's grey-blue eye came to a rest, staring into Blake's. "Good, now we're going to breathe. In for four seconds, hold for two, out for four seconds, hold for two. Together now."

They breathed in tandem, filling their lungs with as much air as they could. _One. Two. Three. Four._ "Hold for two," Blake reminded. _One. Two._ An exhale, their respective breaths intermingling in the short distance between their lips. _One. Two. Three. Four._ A two-second hold.

They repeated the process again and again, the shadows lengthening and shortening on May's face as the train passed under lights. They repeated the process until May eventually lowered her head to rest on Blake's collarbone, her warm breath heating Blake's chest.

"I'm alright. It's under control." Previously clinging to Blake's sleeves, May wrapped her arms around Blake's torso, hugging her tightly. "Thanks." Blake could feel her every inhale and exhale; her breathing had calmed down considerably.

"We're here together."

May leaned back a minute later, wiping the remains of tears from her eye. "I'm alright, promise," she said, doing her best to sound convincing, going so far as punctuate her words with a smile. She let out a large breath of air in the form of a sigh. "I'm okay."

"We're almost there," Blake said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Are you ready?"

"I think so. No rushing in this time. If we work together, we've got a chance."

"We do," Blake agreed, allowing her more serious side to take over. "Whatever happens, we do this together."

The total fifteen minutes it took the train to get to the stop seemed more like an eternity; Blake and May practically tumbled through doors when they finally opened, sprinting down the platform. Blake pulled out her scroll as they ran, directing them through the streets until they slid to a halt.

The hotel in question, the _Ebon and Clyde,_ rose multiple levels, each story trimmed with golden paint that shone in the sunset. Across the two sets of double doors in the front read a large sign that stated "Closed for the Weekend." The construction equipment outside gave away the reason, along with the scaffolding that rose on either wings of the building. Suddenly the venue made much more sense to Blake, the hotel would've been an odd choice unless all the patrons were gone, thereby leaving the building empty.

Blake caught May's arm as she made to approach the front doors. "Bring us up to the second floor, we'll break in through there. I'm sure whoever is waiting for us expects us to enter from the ground."

May gritted her teeth but complied nonetheless, checking to make sure they were out of view before activating her semblance and carrying the two of them to a small second-floor balcony. Blake shattered the sliding glass door, reaching through the hole to unlatch it from the inside. _Looks like my robbery skills may be used for good after all,_ she mused, darting through the hotel room with May on her heels.

Can you check the picture again- or rather, _I'll_ check the picture, I want to see if we can find any indication of where they are." May opened the photo again and looked at it carefully, only this time her face did not show any signs of fear. In the mission mindset, she had no time to get distracted by the objective horror of the image, instead cataloguing every detail.

"They're on a tile floor, which means they're not in a hotel room," she said, eyeing the carpet. Looking through the peephole, she found there was carpet in the hallways as well. "That means she's either on the first floor dining room, or perhaps one of the suites."

"Then we'll start with the dining room. Stay sharp, have your weapon ready." Blake herself readied Gambol Shroud in her hands, a new ribbon wrapped around her arm. May pushed open the door and Blake exited and moved down the hall, pistol ready. May followed behind her, watching their backs.

The hotel itself was surprisingly empty, devoid of any White Fang guards, or even civilians. They kept their guard up while they stalked through the hallway, descending a staircase to the first floor. Blake silently thanked the hotel for padding the floor and stairs with carpet, which allowed she and May to move with near-perfect silence.

The carpet gave way to tile floors a minute later, signalling the end of the living quarters. They moved through the hotel lobby carefully, avoiding the lit sections which would make them visible to the outside world. Even a cursory glance suggested the room was devoid of life, a conclusion which led them to a large set of imposing double doors, made from solid oak.

"The dining room is through here," May whispered, placing her back on one side of the doorframe. Blake did the same on the opposite side. "If we rush in, we'll be able to surprise whoever is on the other side."

"But we'll also be unprepared for larger numbers if they do suspect us," Blake countered.

"I doubt we can sneak in. If they catch any of the doors opening slightly, they'll be able to react much faster than if we rush in and attack immediately." May shook her rifle to emphasize her point. "Watch my back for attacks on the sides. I can go in first and clear the center of the room with some heavy dust rounds. If the worst happens, we'll pull out immediately."

Blake grimaced as May placed herself in front of the doors, ready to rush through. "Don't go in for close combat," she warned. "If the Lieutenant is back there he'll be able to kill you, and we won't get lucky enough to escape twice."

"I won't, my heads cooler this time. I'll leave close combat to you." Blake gave a grateful nod at her words. "Alright, you ready?"

"On my mark," Blake commanded. "Three. Two. One. _Mark!_ "

With a mighty kick she slammed into the wooden doors, knocking them wide open. May strode in a split-second later, her rifle at face-level and aimed at the center of the room. Blake rushed in behind, spinning to check behind them for any sign of attackers. Seeing nothing, Blake turned to follow May, flinching as two shots rang out from her rifle.

The distinctive _clang_ of bullets being deflected drew her eyes to the center of the room. There, poised with one foot resting on Yurie's collar, stood the Lieutenant. His mask was darkened by shadows, further adding to his soul-chilling appearance. Blood spattered outward in lines from Yurie's unconscious body, the result of chainsaw slashes cutting swaths through her aura and eventually, her skin.

May fired three more shots, advancing all the while, forcing the Lieutenant to step backwards and raise the flat of his chainsaw to protect himself. It made little difference, as the single bullet that did collide with him bounced off much in the same way that the others had clattered from his chainsaw. May pressed the attack regardless, joined by Blake who added her own salvo to the mix. The Lieutenant backed up slowly, seemingly content to allow Blake and May to advance until they stood protectively over Yurie. As Blake reloaded, May dropped to her knees.

"Yurie! Yurie, can you hear me?!" Despite her yelling, Yurie remained unresponsive, her face pulled into a perpetual wince of pain.

"Treat the worst of her injuries, I'll keep him busy," Blake called, already aiming Gambol Shroud at the Lieutenant. "Join me as fast as you can."

"Make him pay," May growled, running her hands over Yurie's form to ascertain which of her injuries was the worst.

The Lieutenant made no move to stop them, watching May work without reaction. His face covered by his mask, Blake could only assume his facial expression showed something akin to twisted amusement.

"I'm glad you are here," he spoke, his accented growl cutting through the air. "I hate to say but if you're looking for Adam, you just missed him."

"What do you mean?" Blake growled back, her tone dark. She cast her eyes about the room, searching for others. "And why are you the only one here?"

The Lieutenant laughed, "Adam wanted to make this a bit more. . . _personal,_ so he and I were the only ones here. That is, until a few hours ago. He said he had some "loose ends" to tie up, and told me to take care of things here."

"Loose ends? Taking care of things? What do you mean by that?" Blake yelled, patience wearing thin. Her body itched to fight, muscles ached to strike, it took all her control to resist running in and attacking. "Where did Adam go, and what are you doing here?"

"I'm going to take you alive, and make sure Adam has time for his little reunion," the Lieutenant hissed. "But not before I kill those two girls!"

His chainsaw revving to life, the Lieutenant began running forward, the ground shaking with every step.

Blake intercepted him halfway, ducking under his initial chainsaw swing and springing upward, fist colliding with the underside of his chin. She didn't attempt to push him back with the impact, instead immediately reversing her direction by throwing a kick into his side. The force of the kick pushed her just out of reach of his second swing, the chainsaw's teeth passing just in front of her face.

Blake was ready for his slash, already firing a quick series of shots. The first few hit him before he raised his chainsaw, blocking the rest. The Lieutenant made the second move, a wide horizontal slash with one arm to extend his reach. Knowing blocking would only lead to her getting knocked away, Blake deflected the blade slightly upward, allowing it to continue its trajectory. The Lieutenant moved with the blade, spinning to add a second slash, then bringing the chainsaw down from above and slam it into the floor where Blake had been a moment earlier. Chips of concrete bounced off her aura as she dove to the side to avoid the blow, nearly making the mistake of underestimating the speed at which the Lieutenant had moved. Her aura dropped perceptibly anyway, the Lieutenant having torn through the shadow she left behind with her semblance. _He's faster than he looks,_ she reminded herself, removing the cleaver from Gambol Shroud and unsheathing the katana.

Blake and the Lieutenant clashed again, her acrobatic dodges and quick strikes contrasting with his heavy, concrete-rending swings. Making sure to stay out of his reach, Blake would wait for his guard to drop only slightly, taking the opportunity to rush in and score a few hits before his chainsaw swung through the space she had just occupied.

The Lieutenant rushed forward suddenly, raising his arms for a swing. Blake braced herself with a crouch, ready to dive to either side. At the last moment, he shifted his balance and brought the blade in from the side with blistering speed. Unable to dodge, Blake was only able to cross Gambol Shroud in front of her chest as the chainsaw connected, launching her across the room. She landed on her side a full second later, bouncing painfully and rolling to a halt. Her attempt at quickly getting to her feet was mired by the lack of air in her lungs; while aura could protect from bodily damage, it did little to stop getting the wind knocked out of her.

Her arm was suddenly lifted, placed over a wiry shoulder. May helped her to her feet, patting her on the back a few times. Lacking her usual shirt and signature red and white jacket, May wore only her black sports bra, her exposed skin covered with dried blood and dirt.

"May, are you-"

"I'm fine, Yurie ended up needing more bandages than I expected," she explained, bringing her rifle to her shoulder. "I'll keep him busy from back here, let's kill this motherfucker." Blake could tell that a barely contained anger boiled just beneath her surface, but May was keeping it in check. Blake's earlier words must've rung true. _You can't avenge anybody if you're dead._

"You got it," she responded. With May's help, she felt much more confident. If she alone were fighting the Lieutenant, their fight would've become a battle of attrition. Would her stamina run out before his aura depleted? She preferred not to find out the answer. Having May tipped the odds more in their favor.

Blake ran forward with renewed energy, the gunshot that echoed from behind her only adding to her resolve. The Lieutenant blocked the bullet with the flat of his chainsaw, using his free hand to push the blade forward in a swift slash aimed at Blake's head. Activating her semblance, Blake rolled with the attack, letting her clone take the hit while the chainsaw passed over her harmlessly. The Lieutenant staggered, not expecting the blow to meet thin air. In the moment before he regained his balance, Blake struck at his hamstring with both blades. While his aura prevented the strike from cutting into flesh, his knee buckled.

May's next shot struck him in the center of the chest. His balance already compromised, he fell over backwards. Blake kept up the attack, her blades repeatedly stopping just short of shredding clothing and cutting him open.

He recovered faster than she expected, a hand snaking out to grab her by the neck. Blake immediately began slicing at his arm with her katana, knowing full well that she wasn't strong enough to pry his fingers apart. Her aura strained under the pressure of his hand, depleting as it kept her throat open.

Lifting her with him as he rose, he grabbed his chainsaw with the other hand and revved it, preparing to run her through. Unable to escape, her aura wouldn't be able to block the chainsaw for long, leaving her with few options. She began battering his face with both blades, a silent cry on her lips. _Why. Won't. You. Let. GO!_

As he pulled back to skewer her chest, May's electric dust round struck him full in the face, forcing him to drop Blake as he reeled backwards, stunned. Blake fell to the ground, her lungs burning for oxygen, a need she gratefully catered to, gasping like a fish on the cold tiles. Her mind barely registered the mustard-yellow pulse that signified the Lieutenant's aura breaking. She began scrambling backwards, activating her semblance once again to leave a clone on the floor to cover her escape. Her aura shattered the next second in a flash of deep purple, her clone disappearing along with it.

May reached her side a moment later, pulling her to her feet and subsequently backward as she created distance between them and the Lieutenant. "Your aura is down, let me finish this. I've got the advantage of range, he can't block all my bullets."

Blake nodded, taking a knee to catch her breath as May placed a new magazine in her rifle, chambering the first round. Across the room, the Lieutenant shook off the vestiges of the electric dust, sparks arcing from his body before dying.

Aiming carefully, May fired shot after shot at his body, aiming to hit his torso. He blocked each one with his chainsaw, the bullets exploding against its surface in fiery blasts. Each shot lit up his face as he advanced, casting his mask in quick successions of light and shadow. Finally, one of May's shots connected.

The bullet hit his upper left arm, travelling through flesh and bone with little resistance. Blood and muscle exploded out of the reverse side, following the bullet as it made its exit. The Lieutenant fell to his knees howling, his left arm attached to his shoulder by mere threads of skin and muscle, the interior bone torn to shreds.

May didn't pause to witness her shot connect, already ejecting the empty magazine and replacing it with a new one. As she took aim, the Lieutenant got to his feet again and brandished the point of his chainsaw at her. "Come closer girl," he snarled, his voice resembling that of a beast. "I'll show you how we tear off arms in the White Fang!"

"Why won't you die!" May screamed back, punctuating her words with a gunshot. The Lieutenant listed to the side just in time, leaving May's bullet to cut through the air to his side. He continued moving, beginning to jog forward.

May peppered him with shots, most of them hitting his chainsaw. Unable to protect it with his aura, the chainsaw was shredded as he ran forward, but the teeth still spun wickedly. As the distance between them grew rapidly smaller, one of May's shots struck him in the shoulder. It passed through, taking a sizeable part of his shoulder blade with it. To Blake's horror it did little besides knock his arm backward - with a roar he swung his chainsaw down, every vein in his arm standing out starkly against his skin.

May's eye went wide in fear, unable to process the fact that the man was still standing. The spinning teeth bore down on her, ready to shred her aura as if it were paper.

Putting all her might into the blow, Blake swung Gambol Shroud upward, directly blocking the chainsaw's path. She was only strong enough to stop the tip of the blade before she was slammed into the ground by the force. The chainsaw met the concrete right beside her head, ripping into it.

With a grimace, May hastily raised her rifle and fired a shot at the Lieutenant's face, point blank. He stumbled backward as blood erupted from the side of his head, no longer gripping the chainsaw.

Blake watched from the floor as the Lieutenant's mask cracked from one side to the other before falling from his face, shattering on the tiles. His left ear had been torn from his skull, leaving a bloody deluge to wash over his face and chest. A final shot from May tore through his right kneecap, forcing his leg inward. Bones snapping from the force, the Lieutenant fell to the ground, his leg unable to support him. He lay there, panting, blood coloring his lips crimson.

May walked forward, placing a foot on the Lieutenant's hand as he made to grab his chainsaw. "That's enough, _monster._ You won't be hurting anybody ever again." She placed the barrel of her rifle against his forehead, pressing down to keep him from moving. She spoke with clearly and with conviction, sentencing him to his end. "You killed my teammates, and so many others. Tell me why you did it."

The Lieutenant only laughed, lifting his head to press against May's rifle.

"Tell me why you did it!" May screamed, slamming his head into the floor.

"I kill many people," the Lieutenant responded, flashing his bloody teeth with a grin. "And let me tell you, it never gets any less fun!" Blood flew from his mouth as he yelled, staining his already crimson body armor. He strained against the rifle once more, pressing hard against the barrel, neck muscles bulging under his skin. "But you're not a killer like me, you'll never find the courage to pull that trigger."

"Your wounds are too heavy for you to survive. Whether I kill you or the loss of blood does, your remaining life exists within the span of minutes," May responded fiercely, her chilling logic making Blake's veins run cold. "So don't waste what you have left. Tell me where Adam is, so we can deliver the same fate to him."

The Lieutenant began laughing, each exhale spattering more and more blood over the concrete, flecking the barrel of May's rifle. "You think you can stop him? Even now, he's on his way to Patch! You coming here to save that girl was only a waste of your time! Once he finds that blonde-haired bird, he's gonna slaughter her in front of everyone!"

Blake blanched at the words, panic rising in her chest. _Adam is going to Patch! He's found Yang!_ Her head spun, how had Adam managed to find out where Yang lived? She certainly hadn't told him, had somebody else? How long did they have before he made it there? "May, we need to go, _now_. If Adam's on his way to Patch, I need to save Yang, she won't be able to beat him hersel-"

"I know," May cut her off without removing her attention from the Lieutenant. "Any last words, monster?" she growled, baring her teeth in an inhuman snarl. "Say 'em quick, cause we're on a schedule."

"Long live the White Fang," the Lieutenant choked out, his head defiantly pressed against the barrel of May's rifle until the very last moment. Their eyes met, two glares of equal ferocity and bloodlust battling for superiority.

She pulled the trigger, destroying the last of the White Fang Lieutenant once and for all. The room reverberated with the sound of the shot, which faded into a damning silence.

May clutched Lilac to her chest, hugging it tightly. "That's for you, Brawnz," she whispered, tears beginning to streak down her face. "You can rest easy now." Her voice broke a moment later as she collapsed to her knees. "I know it's not what you would've wanted, but. . . Please accept it. I love you."

Although she itched to go, Blake waited patiently while May paid her respects to her fallen teammate. While she waited she made an anonymous text to the police, explaining within that the White Fang had broken into the hotel and badly injured an innocent Faunus named Caval'Yurie Violet. She could only hope it would both cover their tracks and save Yurie from jail. At the very least she would get the medical attention she sorely needed.

Kneeling beside May, Blake placed a comforting arm around her shoulder as it shook with her sobs. "I know, I know," she whispered. "We need to go."

"I don't think Adam knows exactly where Yang lives," Blake responded, although her heart still knocked against her chest with a feverish rhythm. May's greiving had given her time to more carefully assess the situation. "We've got just a little time."

"No," May said, bracing herself on Blake's shoulder to stand tall. "No, let's go save your teammate." Although the tears still shone on her eye and cheeks, she met Blake's with a look of determination. "We can't allow him to hurt anybody else," she stated softly.

"I'll find us a boat. I called the police, so Yurie should be in good hands."

"Thank you," May whispered, taking Blake's hand and allowing herself to be led toward the exit of the hotel.

"Brawnz and Roy," said Blake, invoking the names of May's departed teammates, "I think they'd be proud of you." May said nothing at first, her interlaced fingers tightening around Blake's the only sign that she'd heard the words.

"Maybe once this is all over," she whispered back. "I can't just live for myself anymore. I need to live for them too."

"You will," Blake promised.

"God I hope so."


	22. Final Conviction

**We're gearing up for the grand finale! Thanks for sticking around, it's been quite a journey. Look forward to the next chapter, the "Final Boss" of this story.**

* * *

Even before they made it to the pier, Blake prepared herself for the possibility that they wouldn't be able to board a ferry to Patch. This proved to be partly true, there actually _was_ a ferry available to the island, but they'd have to wait for daylight as it had just returned from its final trip that night. When they were told, May looked to Blake questioningly.

"Screw it," Blake sighed, turning away. Out of options, she took little time in selecting a boat to steal. Forced into choosing a somewhat older model with enough gas in the tank, she selected a small speedboat with an engine block that wouldn't be too troublesome pick. Once she and May were situated, she picked the lock and pressed the ignition, smiling triumphantly as the motor hummed to life. The smile faded from her face quickly, her mind occupied with what was inevitably to come.

Once they were out in open water and heading to Patch at a steady clip, Blake leaned back against the hull, blowing out a deep breath. She took a moment to study May, who looked somewhat worse for the wear emotionally. Her red-rimmed eye was evidence of her earlier tears and she hugged her rifle to her chest, shivering. While the buildings back in the city proper may have blocked the wind, May's sports bra did little to ease the cold out against the nighttime ocean breeze.

Locking the throttle of the engine in place with a bent hairpin, Blake removed her jacket and draped it over May, leaving her arm likewise draped around the girl's shoulders. _Are you doing okay?_ she considered asking but then decided against it. May's emotions were probably a jumbled mess, not easily defined. Blake doubted "okay" was a word that could accurately describe them.

"Everything is happening so fast," she said instead, sighing with the words. "I don't feel prepared in any way."

"I think trying to prepare ourselves for this was just an illusion," May said after a moment. "There's no way we could've done it."

"Maybe not," Blake agreed, pleased to note that the girl's shivers were dying down. "Will you tell me how you feel?"

May drew her knees to her chest, leaning slightly into Blake's side. She began to speak but then paused, choosing her words. "I. . . I knew I wouldn't feel relief when I finally killed him. And I don't now. But I suppose I was hoping I'd feel it anyway." She shook her head, staring into the night sky, "It wasn't your typical fairy tale revenge."

"I'm sorry," was all that Blake said, sensing that May had more to say.

"After Beacon fell, I think I separated myself from Brawnz and Roy's deaths," she continued. "I focused all my energy on killing as many White Fang as I could. In a way, maybe that was just a convenient way to put off truly grieving for them. As if I had to avenge them first. Maybe deep down, revenge is just another way of grieving. Now that I've finished the main part of my revenge, it's like their deaths have been brought to the surface again. I need to deal with it without a convenient lens of rage to color my emotions and make them easier to deal with. I'm tired," she concluded simply, leaning further into Blake.

"Well, if we need to gather our thoughts, this is the time. We've probably got about three or so hours of boating ahead of us."

May responded with a wistful hum.

Blake shivered after a few minutes of sitting in silence. May noticed the movement and shrugged off the jacket, draping it around both of their shoulders. Drawing in her side, May turned slightly toward Blake to cover her still bare stomach with the fabric. The sea breeze blew coldly, the occasional spray of salt misting over their boat. Blake licked her lips repeatedly, making sure the minerals wouldn't chap them.

"When I was a child, I was always fascinated by stories and folktales," May suddenly said. "I admired the timeless classics, the 'knight in shining armor saves the princess' type stories. I never could understand the villains though. At least, if they had a good backstory, then perhaps I could sympathize with them. But the insane ones? While I liked the part they played in the story, I didn't - or rather I couldn't - understand why the villains always wanted to inflict pain on the heroes." May faded back into silence, her next words quiet enough to be barely audible above the sound of the waves.

"When I held Lilac to the Lieutenant's head, I wanted him to feel _fear._ I wanted him to beg for forgiveness. I wanted him to feel the same thing that everyone he killed probably felt. That was one of the few times where I wanted to hurt somebody." She tilted her head to meet Blake's eyes. "Does that make me a shitty human being?"

"If you're worried that you're becoming like him, then you needn't," Blake reassured, holding her tighter. "You're so far from that. The Lieutenant's soul was beyond saving, he was. . ." She paused, searching for the right words. "He was ugly, inside and out. You're different. I think you were hurt and confused, grieving. But underneath that, I think you and your soul are. . . well, beautiful," she admitted, unable to find a better word. But perhaps she didn't want a different word after all. "So please, don't worry," she added at the end, if only to conceal her embarrassment.

May chuckled lightly, her shoulders shaking with the movement under Blake's arm. "You wait for my guard to be down and then you compliment me? I didn't expect that, coming from you. But thanks," she said, leaning her head comfortably on Blake's shoulder, "that means a lot."

Blake shook her head to dispel the color that had risen on her cheeks, grateful that May was looking out at the horizon rather than at her. Away from the city, the stars shone in stark contrast to the deep blue of the night sky, the sliver of the moon doing little to drown them out.

"What about you?" May asked suddenly, resting a palm on Blake's knee. "Are you doing okay? We've been through a lot recently, there's barely been enough time to process anything. I imagine suddenly going to stop Adam must be somewhat nerve wracking, even without the fact that you'll see Yang again."

Blake took a couple deep breaths before speaking. "I'm nervous," Blake admitted. "I'm so damn nervous. And not even about Adam anymore, I know I need to stop him before he hurts her. That's not why I'm scared. Yang. . . I abandoned her more than six months ago, she must've been so hurt. What if she hates me?" Blake shrugged helplessly.

"Blake, even if it may not have been the choice you would've made now, there was more to your running away than just fear, right?"

The question forced her to pause before responding. "I suppose so." Blake's voice shook. "I wanted to protect her, and I figured that if Adam were looking for me, the best way to do that would be for me to leave. At least," she added quietly, "that's the excuse I made to myself."

May snaked an arm around her waist in an attempt to comfort her. "Then the choice you made was also because you care about her."

"Yeah, but that's a terrible excuse for what I did."

"Not an excuse," May corrected, "just another reason. If she's anything like the person you spent almost two years fighting alongside, the bonds you had won't be broken by your absence." She took a moment to think, examining the horizon. "I'd be willing to wager she was pretty hurt by you leaving. That may not sound reassuring, but she'd only be hurt if she cared about you, too."

"I just hope it's not too late," Blake whispered. "I hope she forgives me someday."

"I'm sure she will. It might take time but if you're by her side, helping her, then I'm sure you'll be stronger for it in the end. You should start by forgiving yourself though. The sooner you do that, the sooner you can move forward by her side."

"I'm not sure I can do that," Blake answered truthfully.

"It's something to keep in mind at least. I think I know you well enough to say that you've grown in the time I've known you. You'll do what needs to be done."

The words gave Blake pause. How had May said them so casually, when the weight they carried hit Blake with enough force to hitch her breath? _What needs to be done?_

"May," she began hesitantly, "after all this is over, what are you going to do?"

The girl sighed at her words, her breath ruffling Blake's shirt. "I've been thinking about that recently too," she said, her voice somewhat somber. "I left behind somebody, my old teammate Nolan. I should return to Vacuo and make sure he gets back on his feet."

Blake nodded, her chin brushing against May's head. They weren't so different, each leaving behind somebody they cared about to fight against those that had torn their lives apart. Their circumstances and goals were not the same, but the outcome was.

"I've been neglecting someone I never should've left in the first place," May finished, echoing Blake's thoughts.

Blake could empathize with the regrets that May had - hell, she even _lived_ with them - but she couldn't stop the arrow of pain that lanced through her chest at the idea that May would no longer be by her side. She'd grown used to the girl's presence over time, their alliance against a common enemy growing into an actual rapport as the days passed. Although their relationship had begun with arguments, fighting, and disagreements on ideals, May had begun to occupy a space in her mind, her presence a source of reassurance and calm for when she needed it. And, if she were being honest with herself, she enjoyed the flirtatious banter they shared from time to time - something which had been increasing in frequency lately.

And now she was going to be leaving, travelling halfway across the world to spend time with her teammate. Blake couldn't fault her for that, but the thought that she'd be leaving soon made her crush the girl into her side, wanting to cherish her presence fully while she still could.

"Blake? What's wrong, are you okay?" May asked, sitting up and turning towards her, a concerned look on her face.

"What? Yeah, I'm okay," she responded, surprised to find her throat tight as she spoke.

"But you're crying," May reached up and gently dabbed the edges of her eyes with her fingers. Her hand came away wet with Blake's tears.

The sight startled her, she reached up to confirm for herself. As she did so, a teardrop ran down her face, falling from her chin. It was followed by another, and another after that. Every tear Blake wiped away was replaced with more.

"Blake, are you okay?" May asked again, this time cupping Blake's cheek gently in her hand. "Tell me what's wrong."

"I-It's going to be strange to wake up alone," she choked out, lowering her head to rest on May's collarbone. May wrapped her arms around Blake's shoulders, embracing her tightly. Blake returned the grip, her arms clasping together around May's back.

May didn't respond, instead running her fingers through Blake's hair. "I'm really going to miss this," she eventually said as Blake's tears began subsiding. "I'm going to miss _you._ "

Blake leaned back to look into May's eye, sniveling in what was likely a very unattractive fashion. "Really?"

"Of course I will!" May responded quickly, her cheeks flushing once she realised how close their faces were. She turned her head to the side, too embarrassed to keep up eye contact. "I mean, I-"

Blake interrupted her by placing a hand on her chin and turning her head back to face her. A second later, their lips met.

Time seemed to slow as they kissed, the sound of the waves crashing against the hull of the boat and the motor fading into silence.

Which one of them deepened the kiss, Blake wasn't sure. The taste on May's lips was warm and salty - whether that was thanks to the sea breeze or her tears, Blake found she couldn't care.

She broke away a moment later, leaning back to look at May. The girl wore a shocked expression, her face a scarlet hue.

"I'm sorry," Blake apologized, looking down while taking May's hands in hers and interlacing their fingers. "I should've asked, but-"

"D-don't be," May interrupted, gripping Blake's hands back tightly. Her blush far from subsiding, she rested her forehead on Blake's eye closed. "I. . . didn't mind," she said bashfully.

"You didn't mind?" Blake teased, raising an eyebrow. She wasn't sure well her teasing would work - she doubted her tear-stricken face was anything less than pitiful. Then again. . .

"I didn't mind. . . I _don't_ mind," May corrected herself. Blake felt a hand cup her cheek. "Here," May whispered, "I'll even prove it to you."

Blake's eyes widened as May leaned forward, their lips placed together for a second time. It took her a full second to realize what was happening, and another second after that for her to react. Still holding one, she let go of May's other hand and placed hers on the back of May's neck, pulling the girl in with more force, pressing their lips together harder.

They kissed with much more passion the second time, the taste of salt and tears gone from their lips. May's hand found her side, fingers digging into her skin as she pulled Blake closer still. The action brought a small moan from the back of her throat, but she ignored it in favor of tangling her fingers in the girls hair.

All too soon they broke apart, each gasping to make up for the breaths they'd forgotten to take. May fell to the floor of the boat, panting while she looked at the night sky with wide eyes. "W-wow."

"No kidding," Blake agreed, her pulse racing. She willed it to calm down as best she could, but couldn't exercise the usual control over it. Despite the wind and ocean spray, her whole body vibrated with heat.

"I. . . wasn't sure you felt the same way," May said, her voice unnaturally small. "When I freaked out that one day and tried to force myself on you, I thought I'd messed everything up."

"Ironically, that's actually what clued me into the fact that you were interested," Blake laughed. "Maybe that's a red flag when it comes to my methods of lover selection, but. . ."

"Yikes," May teased, laughing along with her.

"I didn't think anybody would've so profusely apologized had they not been worried they'd messed things up," Blake explained.

"I'm still sorry, and I'm sure I always will be."

"I've already forgiven you. So you should take your own advice and work on forgiving yourself. And besides," Blake added, "things seem to have worked out for the best, don't you think?"

May hummed in agreement, the smile on her lips seeming to have replaced the blush. Blake watched her for a moment, before her eyelids drooped once. She blinked rapidly, waking herself back up with a deep breath.

During her time at Beacon, Blake had often gone out together with Weiss to the campus coffee shop when Ruby and Yang became especially hyperactive for some reason or another. Thanks to the overall excited atmosphere, she ended up imbibing a lot of coffee - a trend which became habit after she pulled multiple all-nighters in order to attempt catching Roman Torchwick.

As such, she was very familiar with the energy that coursed through her veins. But although it resembled the buzz from caffeine, kissing May had left her with a different feeling. While caffeine usually kept her awake but didn't do anything to ease her tiredness, Blake could feel an underlying exhaustion. Obviously, being awake for more than eighteen hours while also fighting the Lieutenant and breaking her aura in the process had taken its toll on her ability to stay awake.

She yawned, a movement May picked up on. Sitting up, May scooted over to the helm and placed her hand on the steering bar.

"You should try to get some sleep. Let me take the wheel, you need to allow your aura to recharge."

Blake cast her gaze around the small boat, grimacing. "I don't know if I'll be able to, sleeping on wood isn't great to begin with, but if it's rocking. . ." She let her dour facial expression finish the sentence.

May ignored her, reaching a hand out to grab her shirt. Before she could register what was happening May had pulled her off balance. She found herself lying sideways with her head resting on May's thigh.

Blake found her ability to resist sleep lessening, her eyelids drooping. She supposed she _was_ somewhat comfortable, all things considering. May's leg was a warm pillow at least.

"Won't you get bored without anyone to talk to?" she asked, embarrassed at the sleepiness evident in her voice. May shook her head.

"I've got some. . . things I need to think through," she said, her softly spoken words beginning to blend with the sound of the crashing waves. "I think it's time I finally faced Brawnz and Roy without being distracted. You rest easy though. I'll wake you when we arrive."

Blake complied, letting her senses go dark to match the sky. The last sensation she felt was May's hand stroking her head, her palm brushing gently over her feline ears.

* * *

Blake was awakened by a hand on her shoulder. She opened her eyes, seeing only darkness. It took her a moment to realize that it was still night; the sun hadn't yet risen above the horizon.

"Good morning," she mumbled, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. May's face came into focus above her.

"We're almost here," she said, helping Blake lean up from her reclined position. "Sleep well?"

"I must've been more tired than I thought. I actually slept pretty well, all things considering." She made sure to catch May's eye before adding, "You have nice legs."

Despite the exhaustion apparent on May's face, Blake saw the blush that dusted her features. Blake freed her from her gaze, looking off into the distance where the black silhouette of Patch was growing steadily larger. Judging from the lights of vale far off in the distance behind them, they had less than an hour of travel time until they reached land.

According to the rudimentary calculations she'd made before she fell asleep, they'd made good time. _And speaking of sleep._

"Alright, it's my turn to steer. You get some sleep," she commanded, turning to face May. Surprisingly, her command encountered little resistance.

"Okay," May agreed easily. "I could use the sleep. Sitting still while you slept was pretty good in terms of mental relaxation, but I won't say no to actual shut-eye."

Blake nodded and patted her leg, indicating that May should use her as a pillow. She complied, mirroring Blake's own position from only minutes before. Without ceremony May immediately fell asleep, the dark ring under her eye a good indication of how tired she was. The boat sped along, Patch's skyline coming closer and closer.

They arrived at the docks forty-five minutes later, the boat bumping up against the wood. May jumped from the boat as it jolted, tying it to the pier with some rope she had found on the floor. Having awoken just a few minutes before, she looked much better - the dark circle under her eye was still visible, but less pronounced. Blake followed her out, hauling their weapons with her.

As Blake strapped Gambol Shroud to her back and May did the same with Lilac, May turned and touched her shoulder. "This is it. Are you ready?"

Blake answered with conviction, steeling herself for what was to come. "Yeah. You?"

"I am. What do we do from here?"

Blake knew where Yang lived, having visited once during one of Beacon's spring breaks. Even if Adam knew where she lived as well, she assumed this was his first time on the island - therefore, he wouldn't know the fastest way to get to the Xiao-Long residence. If they wanted to ensure that they get to Yang in time, they'd need to move quickly. Blake answered simply, readying her muscles for exertion.

"Now, we run."


	23. Beauty and the Beast

**Well well well, guess who's back? This is the penultimate chapter of Fifty Caliber Cat, back from a far-too-long hiatus. After this we've got one more chapter to wrap things up, and then possibly an epilogue or two. As it stands, I'd like to think we'll be done within a mere ten days, so look forward to it! Thanks to all that've stuck with me this whole time, Fifty Caliber Cat wouldn't have happened without you!**

* * *

As they ran through the streets, Blake pulled her scroll from her back pocket and dialed the local police station. The operator picked up on the third ring, answering in a tone all too cheery for the situation the two currently found themselves in. " _Hello, this is the Vale Police Department, Patch division. What is your emergency?_ "

"The White Fang is here!" Blake snarled loudly into the receiver, drawing strange looks from onlookers as they ran by. A small silence followed before the operator replied, the lapse in conversation filled with the sound of Blake and May's feet on the pavement.

" _I'm sorry? You said the White Fang is here? On Patch?"_

"Yes! Send as many officers as you can to the Xiao Long residence, they're in danger!" A sigh crackled over the speaker, causing Blake's feline ears to lie flat in agitation.

" _Miss, I'm going to need you to slow down. Why would the White Fang be here in Patch? All the signs point to activity that's slowly leading away from Vale; in fact, reports even state that the White Fang is preparing for a move to Mistral."_

May caught Blake's eye, her expression grim. Blake hissed into the receiver again, gritting her teeth. "Adam Taurus is on Patch to kill a survivor of the attack on Beacon Academy, and I can't stop him alone. I don't know how many others are here with him, but he's a danger to civilians as well!"

" _Miss, can you verify any of this information? Because our officers haven't noted anything out of the ordinary, and our various Huntsmen and Huntresses would've noticed the presence of Adam Taurus, not to mention a group of White Fang travelling in the vicinity."_ The operator paused, humming in contemplation, " _I'll send an officer to the Xiao Long residence at your insistence, but that's the most I can do."_

"I-" Blake held the phone away from her face to glare at May, who merely shook her head sadly. "You can't send a single officer," she snarled, "they'll get killed!"

" _It's the most I can do, Miss. I'm sorry."_

"Then don't send anyone!" Blake yelled back, ending the call with a violent motion. "Goddamn it!" she continued, barely resisting the urge to dash her scroll onto the pavement. "I can't believe this! The one time we have clear information on the leader's whereabouts, and the police won't even listen to us!"

"We've never been able to rely on them before, I suppose it's not any different now," May said. "It's just us. We need to keep moving."

The city of Signal, more a glorified village when compared to the vast area of Vale, faded into the distance as they left the city limits. The road beneath their feet became more and more cracked as they ran, until eventually they were running on a gravel road that cut through the thick forest.

"How much farther is it?" May eventually asked, beginning to sound out of breath. The combination of bad sleep and moments of high adrenaline bursts were beginning to take their toll.

"We're getting closer," Blake responded, constantly reminding herself to breathe. The thought of seeing Adam had her nervous, her breaths came up short. But the thought of seeing Yang again had a mixture of guilt and fear gripping her stomach, and her adrenaline was steadily climbing. "Less than five minutes at this pace."

"Blake, are you ready for this?"

At her words, Blake turned her head to the side to see May with an expression of worry. She thought carefully before answering. "This is where it all ends. I don't know if I'm ready, but it's not about 'can' or 'can't' anymore. I have to do this."

May graced her with a small smile. "Don't forget, I've got your back."

"I won't. And thanks."

A deep breath later, and May hit her with a command. "You need to go on ahead." The words nearly stopped her in her tracks.

"What? Why?"

"I'm slowing you down. You need to get there as fast as possible, and you can't do that when you're keeping pace with me. Go, and I'll get there as soon as I can."

"I. . . I can't leave you here," Blake argued weakly, both agreeing with May's thoughts but also disagreeing with the idea of leaving her.

"You won't," May fired back immediately. "I'll get there as fast as I can and stay hidden. Adam won't know where I'm hiding, and that might be the difference between us winning or not."

Although she hated it, she could understand the logic behind May's command. With May acting as a hidden backup, she could very well play the part of finishing the fight. _Or, she could bail me out if I get into trouble,_ Blake reminded herself.

"Alright," Blake agreed. She gave May the rest of the directions necessary, which luckily were easy to follow. May recited them back once Blake finished telling her. "After you follow the gravel road, you'll get to a large field, with a house at the end of the lane. That's the one."

May nodded in understanding. "How's the cover? Will there be spots to hide?"

"Plenty," Blake affirmed. "You'll have your pick of trees."

May nodded again, narrowing her eyes in a stern expression. "Okay, I've got it. Now go! I'll catch up as soon as I can!"

"Got it!" Blake sprinted ahead, lengthening the distance between them with every stride. A minute later, May disappeared from view behind her and Blake ran along the gravel road alone. The scenery blended together, the surroundings lacking distinct landmarks by which to navigate. Eventually a small wooden sign came into view around a corner, and Blake took the somewhat smaller path that it pointed to, the forest growing thicker around her.

Then, through the dense woods, a golden gleam began to flicker through the branches. Blake hastened her pace, her breath coming in rough gasps as she sprinted the final distance to where the Xiao Long property began.

As she emerged from the shadows, she was greeted by a large field, the golden stalks of wheat just beginning to droop with the onset of autumn. And there in the middle of the field stood a man in a black jacket with flaming red hair, the sunlight gleaming from the sheath of his blade, which rested comfortably across his shoulder.

Adam Taurus turned as Blake's legs rustled against the wheat. Her breathing became shallow as he smiled, his mask hiding the predatory gleam that his eyes undoubtedly held.

The wind dyed down, allowing his words to traverse the distance between them unhindered. "Well hello there, my love. I suppose if you're here, this must be the right place."

The breeze had calmed, but Blake could still feel her body freezing, a chill running up her spine as he spoke. "What are you doing here, Adam." she growled, keeping her voice low to hide the tremble that accompanied it. "How did you find this place?"

She needn't have asked, as she knew what Adam would say before he said it. While he spoke, she did her best to ignore his words, instead focusing on moving her body, flexing her muscles. _I can move. I'm not going to freeze up like last time. Just focus on movement._

"Oh, it was quite simple really," he laughed, examining his nails, his gloved hands making the simple motion a mockery of itself. "I just followed the scent of betrayal, and it lead me here. It may be a cliche," he continued, spreading his hands in a wide shrug, "but if it works, then well. . ."

"Where's Yang." Blake growled, more of a command than a question.

Adam unsheathed his sword, the grating noise of metal on metal causing Blake's ears to flick in annoyance. "Why the hurry, darling? We have so much to catch up on!"

"So you haven't found her yet?" Blake asked, ignoring the obvious fact that Adam was within eyesight of the cabin that Yang called home. Her goal was to stall the inevitable fight until May arrived to back her up.

"I know where she is," he called out. "But like I said, it'd be sad to rush through such an important reunion." He began walking toward her, swinging his body slightly as he walked to give the effect of a carefree saunter. As he approached, Blake pulled Gambol Shroud from her back and lowered her stance, feline ears lying flat against her head. It seemed as though stalling wouldn't be an option. To give May an advantage, she'd need to keep Adam in the open field, therefore retreating into the forest and using the trees as cover was not an option.

 _Then if I can't stall, the only choice I have is to begin the fight on my terms._

Effectively against a wall, Blake took aim with her pistol and let loose a quick salvo of shots. She didn't expect any of them to connect, and Adam proved her correct by side stepping most of them and blocking the rest with a quick swing of his blade. Blake sprinted to the side in a large circle around him, making her way deeper into the field.

"Where's your friend?" Adam called after her, sheathing his blade. "I didn't think you had it in you to come alone, did my Lieutenant end up killing her after all?" He began walking toward her again. "Or did you abandon her in a hospital to selfishly pursue me and save another person you left injured?"

"She couldn't make it," Blake hissed, crouching low in a ready stance. "But I'll be damned if I abandon her!" She leapt forward with her words, striking out with the katana portion of Gambol Shroud, aiming to score an upward hit across his ribs. Already expecting the strike to be blocked, she ducked under Adam's kick and swung at his head with her cleaver. The hit was parried in turn, and Blake used the momentum from Adam's deflection to spin into an overhead strike with both blades. Adam unsheathed his sword partway, catching both of Blake's blades before they could cut through his mask.

"So the cat has claws!" Adam grinned, lowering his face within inches of hers. Far too close. Blake jumped and lashed out with both legs, her feet slamming into the flat of his sword and knocking her away. She rolled into a crouch, blades once again at the ready.

Adam took the initiative this time, running forward with his blade still sheathed. As he approached he pulled the trigger on the sheath, the shotgun blast launching his sword out at blistering speed. Blake barely had time to activate her semblance and dodge to the side before his strike bisected her.

He pressed the attack as soon as she landed, keeping her on the defensive with a quick flurry of sword strikes and kicks, each coming from the opposite direction as the one before it. Blake tried in vain to find openings for a counterattack, but Adam's movements blended seamlessly from one to another. When he sheathed his blade to prepare for the next slash he launched a kick at her from the opposite direction, keeping her on guard. After each successive strike, he kept his guard up with the barrel of his shotgun-sheath hybrid, preventing Blake from pressing an attack for fear of taking a shotgun blast at point-blank.

Unused to dealing with the combat prowess of a professional level hunter, Blake could do little except fall back and use her semblance to get her out of the more dire situations.

Adam's next strike came from above, and instead of dodging back or to the side, Blake activated her semblance and dove forward towards the hand that held his sheath. As her clone dissipated, she kicked Adam's sheath out of the way and smashed her cleaver into his back. Adam stumbled forward with the strike, opening his left side up for a vicious kick which sent him rolling. Nevertheless, he came up laughing.

"I was wondering when you were going to actually attack. Your time away from the White Fang has made you weak!"

"Being in the White Fang turns people into monsters," she hissed back, loading a fresh magazine into Gambol Shroud and chambering a round. "I never wanted to become like you-" she was interrupted as Adam pulled the trigger on his sheath, launching the hilt of his blade into Blake's stomach. As the blade fell, Adam jumped into a double kick, connecting with Blake's chest with both feet and knocking the wind out of her. As he landed, he caught his sword from midair, opting not to sheath it.

Blake struggled to her feet, her breaths coming in shallow gasps. While yet unbroken, her aura was beginning to strain under Adam's continued assault; there was a hard limit to the amount of damage she could take, and it was approaching fast. Unlike during training matches and against lesser Grimm, she couldn't afford to take any hits, as each strike was aimed with perfection and cold killing intent. Although he presented himself dramatically and was obviously unhinged, that didn't take away from his combat ability.

 _God I hope May gets here soon._

Adam watched with an amused grin as she panted, crossing Gambol Shroud defensively in front of herself. In contrast to her slightly hunched stance, Adam's posture suggested a carefree attitude, an unscratchable confidence forged after countless high-stakes battles. He stood with his arms to the side, his hold on his sword relaxed.

Blake fired Gambol Shroud, the bullets once again deflected by blisteringly fast sword strikes. Adam's blade was beginning to glow red, a telltale sign that his semblance was nearly charged.

Shortening the katana portion of her weapon, Blake launched Gambol Shroud to the right as she rushed forward. Having wrapped the ribbon around the trigger, she pulled it to reverse the spinning blade's trajectory, forcing Adam to choose between blocking the kusarigama or her cleaver strike. When he made a move and blocked the cleaver with his sheath and ducking under the spinning kusarigama, he was unable to stop Blake's knee from colliding with his face.

She followed up the attack with a light kick to his chest, then drew on her semblance and created a clone which received Adam's counterattack in the form of a crimson sword through the face. Rolling past him to gain momentum, Blake's next kick caught him in the back of his head and launched him forward into a patch of wheat.

When he came up, he was no longer grinning. A snarl adorned his face, twisting his features. "That's much better," he spat, his tone of voice suggesting the opposite of what his words were. "I was hoping you'd give me a reason to get serious. Up till now, you've been less fun than your run-of-the-mill Schnee android." As he spoke he lowered himself into a forward crouch, gripping the hilt of his blade tightly, as if preparing to unsheath it at great speed. Too late, Blake saw the signature blood red glow of his aura light his mask and hair. Time seemed to slow as he leapt forward.

Reflecting the crimson glow from his blade, the sky bloomed into a blood red, the wheat and surrounding trees becoming black and featureless, mere silhouettes of themselves. All Blake's attention was focused on Adam, whose body blurred as he rushed her with inhuman speed, a yell on his lips. She knew the speed at which he moved there was no way for her to get her weapons up in time. And even if she did, Adam's semblance would cut through both them and her impersonally.

As the tip of his blade left the sheath, an earth-shattering explosion pierced the air and Blake's shoulder suddenly felt like it had been crushed under an overwhelming weight. She was launched downward as her aura shattered, watching in stunning clarity as Adam's blade passed by, less than an inch away from her eyes.

When she hit the ground, she found she could see all the way to the trees at the edge of the field. Adam's semblance-fueled slash had ripped a wide swath of wheat to shreds, completely disintegrating each and every shoot within fifty meters. All that remained was the occasional small patch of grass in the dirt.

Adam jumped back and raised his blade defensively, looking nervous for the first time. He glared accusingly at Blake, his teeth bared. "You lied to me about your friend!"

She ignored him, doing her best not to gasp out in pain. May had shot her to launch her downward and save her from being cut to ribbons, but that didn't change the fact that she had been hit by a high-velocity sniper round. It hurt like _hell._ Not to mention, her aura had shattered, meaning she couldn't use her semblance or rely on the protective properties of it. If Adam hit her now, that was the end.

May's words echoed in her head. _I've got your back._

The words empowered her to get back to her feet, lifting both weapons in a ready stance. Adam stood cautiously a short distance away, unwilling to attack and inadvertently open himself to one of May's shots. He scanned the trees as best he could while still keeping an eye on Blake.

Knowing May, the sniper was probably hiding in the spot that Adam least expected. In other words she was closer than he realized, foregoing the high ground to stalk him from the wheat, looking for an opening to strike and then quickly fade into the golden crops.

It was Blake that advanced this time, not giving Adam time to come to the same realization she had. She opened with a salvo of pistol shots, aiming wide to distract Adam but prevent him from blocking the shots to charge his semblance. The final shot glanced off his shoulder, prevented from injuring him by his aura.

Adam returned fire from a distance with a shot from his sheath, forcing Blake to dive to the side to dodge the wide spread of pellets. The wheat immediately behind her was reduced to tatters. He kept up the barrage, firing two more shots before being forced to jump to the side himself as one of May's dust bullets tore through the air in which he had just been standing, leaving a trail of fire in its wake.

Blake got to her feet again, clutching her left arm. Some of the shotgun pellets had embedded themselves in her flesh, the puncture wounds already bleeding. The wounds wouldn't impair her movement massively, but her arm stung with every movement.

She rushed at Adam again with both of her blades crossed. Rather than go in for a lengthy assault, she focused on quick strikes and dodges, getting into close range and then immediately backing off, covering her escape with pistol fire. She launched a quick series of slashes with her katana, and then dove to the side as Adam retaliated, attempting to exchange blows with her. Her caution was warranted considering her lack of aura, but the quick attacks were mainly meant to distract his guard so May could get a shot in.

Her first opportunity came when she knocked Adam's blade up above his head with a hard block from her cleaver. She followed up by spinning and slashing with both her blades, occupying his sword with deflecting her slash away from his face. May chose that moment to take a shot.

The dust bullet smashed into Adam's sheath, exploding in a burst of static and blue sparks. The sheath was ripped from his hand, his fingers twisting as the trigger guard twisted violently with the impact. The shotgun-sheath flew through the air, disappearing among the stalks of wheat.

Adam immediately disengaged from Blake, leaping backwards and assuming a two-handed grip on his sword. Then without warning, he charged sideways into the wheat.

 _He's going after the largest threat, which is May!_

Blake chased after him, emptying half her magazine at his back. Some of the rounds hit, but they bounced futilely off his jacket, repelled by small bursts of crimson aura. With a leap Adam landed among a patch of wheat and spun on his heel in a wide circle, levelling the crop within his sword's reach.

May was nowhere to be found. Just a second behind Blake leapt onto Adam with a loud yell, hoping to distract him from any traces May could've left in her escape. She came down with an overhead cleaver slash, which Adam blocked as she landed. With her other hand, she emptied the last of her magazine into his stomach, point-blank.

The telltale red glow of Adam's aura breaking was the last thing Blake saw before his fist slammed into her chin in an uppercut. Her ears ringing, she barely registered a brutal kick to her ribs, and then felt suddenly weightless as a heavy force to her stomach sent her flying.

Unable to break her fall Blake landed hard on her back, crushed stalks of wheat stabbing into her legs and spine. She rolled over in an attempt to fill her lungs with air, but her ribs protested, preventing anything more than a shallow breath. An exploratory hand confirmed what she had feared: Adam's kick had broken at least three, probably more.

She was knocked to the side once again as Adam's heavy boot collided with her hip, sending her sprawling. As he approached Blake attempted to get to her feet again but was forced to the dirt by a boot on her chest. A cursory glance to the side showed Gambol Shroud lying just out of arm's reach. She reached desperately for it, then went incredibly still as the cold metal of Adam's sword was pressed to her forehead. It dug into her skin point-first, drawing blood. He stood over her, panting heavily.

"Your friend can't hurt me if I've got you at my mercy," he snarled, his grin returning. "Checkmate, my darling. I win."

"May knows the stakes," she growled back, forcing the cold fear down, igniting whatever courage she had left in her heart. "If I have to die to take you down once and for all, then so be it!"

Adam laughed and began tracing a line across her forehead with his blade, cutting slowly across her forehead. She winced under the pain, screwing her eyes shut. A weighted press against the blade elicited a gasp of pain, and she forced her eyes open once again.

"Don't look away, you deserve to see what happens to traitors," he chastised, lowering himself to one knee so he crouched over her. A bead of sweat ran down his face and fell from his chin, landing on Blake's neck. She didn't dare move.

He brought himself closer, keeping a firm grip on the sword, lowering his face until it was inches from hers. His breath was hot on her face, his words acid.

"Nobody could ever replace you, not even Carmine," he said softly, his voice shaking with glee. "And now you're back with me, darling. If nothing else, this calls for a celebration!" His breathing was heavy, his pursed lips seeking to claim hers.

"I'll never go back with you, you _monster!_ " she yelled back, spitting fully into his face. While most of her saliva landed on his mask, it had the desired effect of getting his face away from hers as he backed up, startled. He was on his feet a moment later, and the sword left her forehead. Before she could breathe a sigh of relief Adam raised the blade like a golf club, towering over her at his full height.

"I said it once and I'll say it as many more as I need to. If I can't have you, my love, then no one will!"

The blade began arcing down, eager to slice through her throat and kill her. Halfway through, the sky shook with an echoing concussive blast. A line shot across Blake's vision and a split-second later, Adam's mask exploded violently, pieces of reinforced ceramic flying like shrapnel. He staggered backwards, screaming.

Blake's ears rang, but she could hear somebody approach from behind. "I'm sorry that took so long," said May, reaching down to grip Blake's uninjured forearm. Blake stood gingerly, nursing her broken ribs and bleeding arm while May wiped the blood away from the cut on her forehead with the sleeve of her jacket.

"May, what're you doing here?" Blake gasped as May worked, her adrenaline beginning to wear off. "It's not safe, he'll hurt you, you need to run-"

May shushed her with a finger on her lips. "It's okay," she stated simply, indicating Adam's sword which had fallen to the ground. The man himself knelt among the wheat a long length away, groaning in pain as he held his face with both hands. "The fight is over," May continued quietly. "It's time to finish this."

Adam staggered to his feet as Blake approached, removing his hands from his face. May's bullet had crossed through his mask, destroying the material and leaving a wicked burn across his forehead and right eye. The bridge of his nose had been torn open; it bled heavily into his open mouth. With every breath, drops of blood flew from his lips. His radiant green eyes glowed with rage.

When he noticed Blake approaching he reached out with clawlike fingers, beginning to move towards her as if to reach her throat and crush her windpipe.

"Adam, stop," Blake commanded, raising Gambol Shroud. "It's over, you've lost the fight!"

"I'll. . . I'll _never_ lose!" he growled out, the blood from his face beginning to run into his shirt. "As long as there is hate in this world, I'll always be around to make life hell for humans!" His staggering walk became a jog as he neared her.

"Don't come any closer! Give up peacefully!" Blake shouted, desperation making her voice weak. "You don't need to kill anymore!"

"You became so _weak_!" he choked out, the blood in his throat giving his voice a guttural quality. "Just months away from the real fight, and you're unable to land the killing blow!" His fingers closed around her throat, beginning to press. "You used to be so much stronger, the Blake I know wouldn't have hesitated to do anything! You lack conviction."

The surety with which he said it made Blake's body go weak. _I lack conviction. I'm not strong enough to fight for what I love. I couldn't do it to turn the White Fang around from the inside, and I ran from Yang and my team when it mattered most. When it comes down to it, am I really that worthless?_

The telltale retort from May's rifle echoed through the air. The weight on Blake's throat disappeared as Adam was thrown back, his right arm gone from below the shoulder. He fell to the ground with his mouth wide, a silent scream wracking his body. Blake fell to her knees, taking quick breaths to get the oxygen back to her brain.

"Don't listen to him," May said, resting a hand on her shoulder. "I don't think you're worthless. Sure, you get scared sometimes, but isn't that why you have friends and loved ones to support you? You've been fighting for the last six months to get back what you've lost. That doesn't make you weak, Blake. I hope you know that."

Blake struggled to her feet, this time without taking May's extended hand. "Thanks, May. I. . . almost lost myself again."

Adam had somehow mustered the willpower to get to his feet one last time, unsteady as he was. His left arm hung freely; perhaps he couldn't feel the state of his right arm, or perhaps he knew that stemming the blood was an exercise in futility. He didn't speak, but merely stared at her with a distant gaze.

Adam made no move to react as Blake leapt forward, tackling him while driving Gambol Shroud's katana into his stomach. They fell quietly, barely rustling the wheat.

"You were wrong about me, Adam. I am so much more than I once was."

"What would you know? You're just a shadow of your former self," he whispered. "The real Blake was always by my side, she always made the right decisions."

"The Blake you created in your mind is the shadow."

Adam closed his eyes for a moment, chuckling as much as his ruined body would allow. "Maybe so," he agreed, before reaching up to grip Blake's shoulder with his good arm. His green eyes flew open, as intense as they were the day she had first met him.

"For as long as you live, you'll remember my eyes. You'll see them in your nightmares. Around every corner. I'll haunt you for the rest of your life. With my last breath, I curse your existence, Blake."

"I know," Blake whispered back, removing her blade from his abdomen and piercing his heart. "Farewell, Adam. If nothing else, you. . . you were a good friend, once. I'm sorry that changed, but you went somewhere I couldn't follow. Goodbye."

Tears began running from her eyes, falling onto Adam's face. With a careful hand, Blake closed his eyes. A few moments later May put a comforting arm around her shoulder.

"I'm sorry," May said, looking at Adam's body. While their adversary was dead, neither felt happiness at their success.

"I'm just. . . it all happened so fast. I knew I probably wouldn't get a chance at closure, but it's still strange. Everything feels so. . . unfinished." She took a shuddering breath, allowing her voice to hitch with tears as she cried. "I've been running from him for long, and chasing him ever since. It seemed like it wouldn't ever end, and now that it has. . . now what?"

"Now, we need to take our time to heal," May answered. "What happens after isn't something we should decide right now. Let's just live in the moment, okay? The answer will become clear in time."

Blake laughed, smiling through her tears. "How did you get so good at giving advice? It seems like just days ago that I was the one comforting you."

"Weeks ago, but yeah," she corrected. "I'm here for you Blake, I've got your back."

Blake stood, reaching out to gently hold both of May's hands. "And I yours."

They stood like that for a minute, foregoing the rest of the world just to take comfort in each other.

May eventually broke the silence, letting go of one of Blake's hands to pull her scroll from her pocket. "Let's get you patched up, you look like you've been through hell."

"I feel like it," Blake laughed, immediately clutching her chest in pain. "Damn, that hurt."

"Do your best to take it easy now, 'cause I think we've got a long day ahead of us yet," May warned. "Once we're at the hospital the police will want to question us. Besides," she added, gesturing to their immediate surroundings, "we trashed your teammate's field pretty thoroughly."

"What should we tell the police?"

May pondered the question for a moment. "Let's tell them the truth about what happened here: Adam threatened your friend's life, and so you came to stop him. As for the trouble we've been causing around Vale, well. . ."

"Regardless of what we did, technically we were attacking the White Fang, most of whom are wanted criminals. Knowing the law enforcement, I'd be willing to imagine that they brush those incidents off as infighting amongst the White Fang. And they were all Faunus," Blake added quietly, "they'll pay less attention by virtue of that fact alone."

May nodded in agreement. "Alright, I'll make the call. Everything happened so fast, it's going to take a while for your brain to catch up with it. But I'll be right here. You hang tight."

"Thank you."


	24. Adios, Toreador

**After far too long, here's the final chapter of Fifty Caliber Cat! There will be a single epilogue chapter after this one, which will be up later today. I can't thank you all enough for taking this journey with me, you've been patient despite the delays! I'd normally take a break after finishing something of this magnitude, but that may be an impossibility. I'll be writing a few shorter stories in the near future, so look forward to those! They'll be less serious than this.**

 **That all being said, thank you for reading Fifty Caliber Cat, and enjoy the finale.**

* * *

Blake and May didn't let go of each other's hands for the rest of the day, even after Blake was admitted to the hospital. Once she was checked in to the non-emergency ward, the doctors took x-rays of her chest and confirmed that four of her ribs were broken. They likewise stitched up the cuts on her forehead and removed the shotgun pellets from her arm, which was by far the most painful of the care she received. May stayed close to her through it all, a comforting presence amidst the blur of nurses and the nearly overwhelming smell of antiseptic and rubbing alcohol. Luckily, the doctors didn't complain when Blake asked to keep the bow on her ears.

By the time the doctors left her hospital room she was beyond exhausted, ready to sink into the comfortable sheets and pass out.

"I feel like I could sleep for a year," May commented, leaning back in one of the leather guest chairs. Now that they were alone, the room had become comfortably silent, a reprieve Blake was more than grateful for.

"We could both use it," she agreed, her eyes drooping. Anything big that was going to happen would have to wait until tomorrow, she didn't think she'd be able to muster the energy to do anything else for the day. Before she allowed herself to drift off she sat up and scooted over to the side of the bed, patting the space next to her. "You know, there's room for both of us."

"Don't you think you'll sleep better alone?" May argued halfheartedly, her eyes lingering on the soft bed for too long to suggest she wasn't considering the offer.

"We both need a good rest, and sleeping in an armchair is not going to provide that for you." May shrugged and got up at her words, shedding her jacket and bending low to remove her boots. "Besides," Blake continued, quieter this time, "I don't know if I can sleep alone right now."

May nodded and climbed under the covers, cuddling close to Blake without needing to be asked. Blake's arm came to rest on her side, while May buried her face in the crook of Blake's neck. She moved her head up a moment later, hesitation in her eye.

"Hey Blake, can I kiss you goodnight?"

Blake gave a small laugh, pulling her close to press their lips together for a sweet kiss, one that lasted altogether too short a time. After they parted, satisfied, they rested their foreheads against each other's, closing their eyes to sleep.

"Goodnight May," Blake whispered, "thanks for being here with me."

"Always," she replied, pulling Blake closer.

* * *

As Blake had anticipated, the police were unconcerned with any of the events that had happened back in Vale, focusing exclusively on the fight with Adam. After establishing Adam's death as self-defense on Blake and May's part, they asked a few questions about Adam's motives, about why he had come to Patch in the first place. At the risk of exposing her history with the White Fang, Blake lied and told the officers that Adam had failed to kill Yang during the attack on Beacon, and he probably didn't want to have a losing streak when it came to murder. It wasn't technically a lie, but it left out most of the truth. "I heard about increased White Fang activity in Vale, so I wanted to make sure that Yang was safe," she had said.

This seemed to convince the officers, one of which stepped out of the room for a minute to make a call. He returned looking satisfied and explained that he had called Taiyang, who would be visiting within the hour. After taking down some extra information the police left Blake and May to themselves, promising to contact them if they needed any extra information for their investigation. Their absence left the room quiet, leaving Blake and May to quietly share their thoughts with each other.

"You doing okay?" May asked, placing a sympathetic hand on Blake's leg, joining her on the bed again. Blake leaned into her, resting her head on May's shoulder.

"I'm alright. I think I got most of the tears out last night. The whole things still feels unreal though. When you run for a long distance and then suddenly stop, your body is still in that running mode, you know? That's how my head feels right now. It'll probably take some time for the reality of it all to sink in."

"Sure, I'm kind of in the same boat here. I don't feel like I avenged my teammates yet," May said, pausing after to look out the window. "I doubt I'll ever have the kind of satisfaction I want in regards to that. Revenge never leaves you satisfied." May curled her hands into tight fists. "I wish it did."

Blake nodded sadly, her hair brushing May's cheek. "It's funny, I don't have a deeply personal reason connected to my need to fight for good anymore. It used to be that I framed Adam as my reason for fighting. I wanted to fight against extremism because I see it as the wrong way to achieve peace, and I also wanted to defend that peace for fear of people like him ruining it. Now though, I think I want to fight for good because I can, and it's the right thing to do."

May laughed, "I don't think I've reached that level of maturity yet."

"Well as long as you're fighting for good, does the reason matter all that much?" Blake asked, raising her head to look at her. "Whatever you use to motivate yourself, you're still doing what you think is right. That's a good reason by itself, isn't it?"

"Maybe so," May shrugged, "although I can't see myself worrying about that too much." She spoke up again a moment later, changing the subject. "Hey, the police said Yang's dad was on his way, right? What kind of person is he?"

Blake closed her eyes, drawing back to her memories of the short vacation she had taken with Ruby and Yang to visit. "He looks scary at first, but he's actually one of the kindest people I've ever met. It caught me completely off guard. He's got a very 'dad' sense of humor, but his jokes are actually funny."

"So he's kinda like a big friendly bear?"

Blake laughed at the mental image. "Something like that, but I think 'Dragon' might fit him better. But I don't know how nice he'll be to me, since I left Yang all alone. Speaking of," she checked the clock, "I'm sure Taiyang will be here any minu-" As if on cue, a soft knock sounded at the door to the room, causing both of them to jump. At Blake's nod, May got up from the bed and crossed the room, opening the door.

Taiyang Xiao Long entered the hospital room, the light from a hallway window framing him and casting a large shadow over the floor. The golden light drained from the room as he stepped in, a cloud blotting out the sun.

"It's been a long time, Blake," Taiyang said, his expression appearing somewhat guarded. His attention was distracted by May, who still stood next to the door. "And I don't believe I've met you before?"

"May Zedong," May introduced herself formally, reaching out to shake Taiyang's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Taiyang frowned for another moment, the mood in the room darkening. Then his stern expression eased into a friendly smile, and the sun emerged from behind the clouds, bathing the room with its rays. "I get that alot," he joked, leaning comfortably against the wall. "So, I hear you two are the ones behind half my field being prematurely trimmed?"

"I'm sorry sir," Blake apologized, lowering her eyes.

"Although," May interjected while joining Blake by the bedside, "it was technically Adam who did that."

Taiyang gave a sharp laugh before his expression soured into a scowl. "Good riddance. It looks like he did a number on you, are you okay?" he asked, addressing Blake with concern.

Blake lost her words in surprise. _Oh right, I forgot how kind Taiyang always was to me._ A man with a sunny disposition, truly the father of Yang in nearly every way.

"I'm alright, thanks for asking," she answered, lifting her wounded arm. "Hopefully I'll be able to get better without too much trouble."

He waved his hand as if to dismiss the seriousness in her tone. "Ehh, you're still young, I'm sure you'll be fine. If I know anything from raising two daughters it's that kids bounce when they fall. Also, women are tough."

May laughed, tension slackening from her arms. "That she is."

Taiyang nodded her way, "Besides, isn't getting some cool scars part of being young? I still remember when I got my first ones." He proceeded to roll up one of his sleeves to display a series of scars on his forearm to May. May responded by showing off one on her shoulder, eliciting an "oh damn" from Taiyang. Blake watched with amusement at the casual tone behind their exchange, the two interacting as if they'd been friends for a long time. Then again, that was part of the Xiao Long charm, the ability to make newcomers feel comfortable after just becoming acquainted minutes prior.

After a minute, Taiyang turned back to Blake, his eyebrows lowered into a slightly somber expression. "Yang will be happy to see you."

Already the tears threatened to spill from her eyes from the mention of Yang. She swallowed them down before speaking. "Won't she be mad? I left her, I ran away."

"Well of course she'll be mad at first!" Taiyang laughed, disregarding the solemnity of Blake's words. "You know her pretty well, don't you? She'll be mad at first, you might even take a few punches from her brand new arm! But I know she misses you." Taiyang ran a hand through his hair, laughing wistfully. "You know, you're not the first member of our family that has disappeared without a trace. At this point, you could even call it a Xiao Long tradition."

Blake hung her head in shame. "That. . . doesn't make me feel better about what I did."

"But," Taiyang continued, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, "you're the first to come back. And that means something. Whatever trust was lost between the two of you will come back, I guarantee it."

"That. . . takes a lot off my mind," Blake said, finally allowing the first tears to run down her cheek. From the other side of the bed, May placed a hand over hers, giving a slight squeeze.

Taiyang sighed, shaking his head. "I can imagine you girls have been through a lot. Tell you what, once you're checked out from the hospital, why don't I pick you two up? We've only got one guest room but. . ."

"That won't be a problem for us," May answered for both of them. "Thank you so much, Mr. Xiao Long."

"Taiyang is fine," he said, pulling a notepad from his back pocket and writing down his number. After ripping the paper from the sheet, he handed it to May. "Call when you're out, okay? And I don't wanna hear that you ended up sleeping on the streets because you were too embarrassed to contact me."

"Don't worry, we won't," Blake choked out, hot tears still running down her cheeks. "Thank you so much. You really didn't have to be this kind."

"Of course I would be," Taiyang disagreed, holding the door on his way out, "there's no reason not to show kindness to those who need it. No matter what happened, you're a member of team RWBY, and any member of RWBY is like family to me. And no member of team RWBY is a bad person. There'll be plenty of time to talk later," he assured them. "Take your time, rest. You need it."

The door closed behind him with a quiet click, bringing silence back into the room. May climbed onto the bed and wrapped her arms around Blake's shaking frame, rubbing small circles into her back.

When the nurses finally checked Blake out of the hospital that evening, Taiyang was already waiting in the car, looking incredibly pleased that they had actually ended up calling him. She and May got into the backseat and were driven at a comfortable pace back to the cabin. Taiyang made small talk while pointing out some of the landmarks as they drove, but it was clear that he didn't expect them to listen attentively. Rather, it was as if to intentionally create an atmosphere of comfortable white noise.

The Xiao Long property came into view in minutes, the wheat offering a contrast to the green of the roadside forest. The wheat itself was still destroyed in some parts, giving the field a patchy look. Unable to resist, Blake scoured the wheat for any signs of Adam's body, but found none. Just like that, he was gone, likely taken by police during the previous evening. May noticed her expression and raised a questioning eyebrow, but Blake merely shook her head.

"Here we are," Taiyang said, pulling the car to a stop in the driveway. "Yang won't be home until the day after tomorrow, so you two will have the place mostly to yourselves. Make yourselves at home," he unlocked the front door, holding it open so that they could enter. "That goes for pretty much anything here."

"Thank you," May and Blake both replied in unison, waiting in the main hallway for some sort of direction. Taiyang gave them time to remove their shoes and then showed them to the guest room, which Blake recognized as Ruby's room. Her signature rose emblem adorned the blankets on the bed, and her desk was lined with small Grimm figurines carved from wood and painstakingly painted.

"I know it's not technically a guest room, but since Ruby's gone, I figured she wouldn't mind," Taiyang explained. "I'll start making dinner, so make yourselves comfortable. Shouldn't take more than an hour."

"Thank you again," Blake said, bowing her head. "How is Ruby doing, by the way? I haven't been in contact with her since. . . a while."

"Last I heard she was doing well. She left with team JNPR and chased after Cinder and her group, toward Mistral." He must've noticed her worried expression, because he added, "Qrow is watching over them though, so I wouldn't be too worried. He may be an asshole sometimes, but he's family." He left the room, muttering. "Maybe being away from civilization will keep alcohol out of his hands. . . Ah, who am I kidding?" His voice faded, replaced by the distant sounds of kitchen utensils clanking.

Dinner took around three hours, during which Blake told the entirety of her story to Taiyang with the occasional addition from May. She left nothing out, and Taiyang stayed quiet the entire time, nodding slightly to show his ongoing attentiveness. When she finally finished the sun had set, blanketing the room in various warm shades.

"You two have had it rough," he said with a heavy sigh. "It's about time you got some rest, you've been in the fight for too long."

While Blake could've disagreed and argued for her health, she found herself nodding with his assessment. "I think we're both pretty tired," she said, turning to May to catch her nod of agreement.

"Well!" Taiyang stood, beginning to grab plates and stack them, "you two hit the hay for the night. I'll clean up here." He ignored Blake and May's hesitation, shooing them from the kitchen. "It's just dishes, it's fine. Go sleep! I'll see you two in the morning."

Blake and May shared a knowing smile back in the bedroom. "He really is a dad," May commented, giggling. "I feel like he'll end up doting on us if we're not careful."

"It may be inevitable anyway."

* * *

The conversation Blake had been dreading happened the next morning in the living room, while May was cuddling into her side after a tasty breakfast of pancakes and sausages. Taiyang had left for Signal, promising to return with fresh groceries later that afternoon, leaving the girls to their own devices for the day. May took a sip of her coffee before speaking.

"Blake, I've been thinking. Yang comes back tomorrow, and you're going to need some time together to sort things out, right?" Blake nodded in affirmation. "Well," May continued, "I think I should be leaving tomorrow morning. That way I won't be in the way when Yang gets back."

"May, what do you mean, 'in the way?' You wouldn't be, you know that, right?" Try as she might, her voice was rising slightly with the onset of panic.

"No no, I don't mean I'll be leaving for good!" May hurriedly corrected, leaning back and resting on her knees so she could talk to Blake without craning her neck. "But you and Yang will have a lot to talk about and catch up on. When I think about it, I should be doing the same thing. I've put off for far too long."

"You mean, you're going back to Vacuo?"

"For a little while," she said, eyes downcast. "As much as I want to stay here with you, I need to get Nolan back to his feet. I haven't been there for him. While I'm gone, you and Yang can focus on repairing your relationship. Once I'm sure Nolan's doing okay, I'll come back, okay?" She smiled weakly, reaching a hand out. Blake took it immediately, pulling May close and embracing her. She allowed herself to fall backward onto the cushions with May resting on top of her.

"I'll miss you," she said, smiling in spite of the tears that threatened to spill. "To be honest, I don't want you to leave. Having you suddenly be gone is going to be really. . ."

"-different," May finished. "I'm not looking forward to being apart from you. But the more I think about it, the more I know it's the right thing to do. He's my teammate, I need to go help him heal."

"No, I understand," Blake said, letting her grip slacken so she could look at May fully again. "As long as there is evil in this world, Huntresses like us will need to be around to stop it." Blake hesitated nervously for a moment. "And. . . I'd love to stop it with you at my side, if you were interested. When you get back, that is."

"I would be," May replied, smiling. "I _am._ " She took a deep breath, squeezing Blake's hands in hers. "I'd love to."

Without asking, May leaned down and kissed her, an action that Blake returned wholeheartedly, weaving their fingers together as the kiss deepened. May's lips were hot on hers, no longer carrying the sense of pure innocence they had previously displayed; May trailed fire over her mouth, her lips travelling down her neck and over her collar.

Blake broke away, pausing to catch her breath. "How long will it be until I see you again?" she asked, knowing that even the shortest amount of time would leave her unsatisfied.

May pondered the question, hovering over her, "Well, you know I can't say for sure. . ."

"Then make me a promise," Blake countered, knowing full well how illogical she was being, but she couldn't help it. "Promise me that you'll be back within. . . two months."

May laughed, "That's a pretty arbitrary number, don't you think?"

"Maybe so, but it's a good one," Blake confessed. "Two months gives both of us plenty of time to get our teammates back on their feet."

"We can't know that for sure," May giggled, "but I'll promise you anyway." She lowered herself onto Blake again, reducing the distance between their lips to centimeters, her breath caressing Blake's cheek. "We'll keep in contact though, so don't make that face."

Blake broke out in a sudden laugh as May's fingers dove into her sides, tickling relentlessly. The sound of her own laughter stunned her; had it really been so long since she'd been happy enough to laugh wholeheartedly? The pain of the last six months lingered, but her laughing under May's gleeful torture filled her with hope. _Maybe I can still heal._

Without warning she grabbed May in her arms, rolling sideways off the couch so that she landed on top. She sat up, moving her legs up to pin May's wrists under her knees. May made a show of straining against her makeshift bonds but couldn't break free, although Blake doubted she was truly as helpless as she let on.

"Just so you know, I'm not a gentle tickler," Blake growled into her ear.

"Good, maybe I like it rough," May whispered back, causing a scarlet flush to rise in Blake's cheeks. The blush forced her to smile, she hid her embarrassment by going on the offensive.

"I'll make you regret those words!"

May was already laughing before Blake made contact.

* * *

Taiyang left early the next morning to pick up Yang from the Vale general hospital, bidding an informal yet heartfelt goodbye to May on his way out. She thanked him for his hospitality and promised she'd return in two months, possibly with Nolan.

"Please do, you're always welcome here," he had replied warmly before closing the door to the car and driving off. Now Blake and May were left at the house, waiting until it was time to leave and drop May off at the ferry. Because Patch was too small to have its own international port, would-be travelers would have to first go to Vale in order to find airships to other Kingdoms. This worked in May's favor, as she planned to stop by Blake's apartment to pick up her things before she left for Vacuo.

After cleaning the kitchen May gathered what little she had with her in preparation to leave. Blake watched her strap Lilac to her back, storing what few magazines she still had in a small backpack that Taiyang had lent to her. Although the two of them would be walking together to the port, Blake was still hesitant to leave the house. In a symbolic sense, stepping across the threshold would mark the beginning of May's departure, an inevitable event that Blake would've liked to delay for as long as possible.

While May undoubtedly felt the same, she was the one to exit first, stepping into the sunlight with a stretch and a yawn. Blake followed, shielding her eyes from the glare. Without words their hands found each other's, fingers curling together. The wheat rustled lightly in the breeze as they passed by, each step taking them farther from the Xiao Long property.

"It's a shame you have to go all the way back to the apartment first," Blake said.

May shrugged, carefully limiting the motion to the shoulder opposite Blake so as not to jostle their hands. "Yeah, although I only have myself to blame I suppose. The only thing I'm stopping by there for is my jacket, which could easily be replaced. Well, that and a photograph of my team from when we first joined Shade Academy."

"Not as easily replaced," Blake acknowledged, "but there's nothing wrong with being sentimental."

"It's well worth the extra walking distance. Speaking of, this walk is much nicer when we're not running to catch a wanted criminal." Blake took her cue and studied the trees as they passed them by. Between the trunks, the ocean was barely visible as a thin line of blue. Unlike Vale, Patch as a whole gave an impression of harmony, as if civilization was built around nature rather than on top of it.

The two made idle and unstructured conversation as they walked, enjoying each other's company, and before they knew it they had entered the main city. All too soon the ferry docks came into view ahead of them.

Leading them slightly to the side, Blake slowed their walk until they stood hand in hand in front of the ocean, the pier extending to their left. People milled about, but the sound of the gentle waves washing against the pier covered their voices, leaving Blake and May in their own quiet bubble.

Blake turned to face her at the same time that May leaned to the side, causing them to bump into each other.

"Oh!"

"Heh."

They ended up in a sideways hug, holding each other while they looked out over the ocean.

"It was nice to walk with you like that, felt like old times."

"Although we were angry with each other half the time when we first met."

"That's true. We've come a long way since then, haven't we?"

"We truly have. Do you remember that time we danced at that club? At Carmine's?"

"How could I forget? That was the first time I realized you were attractive!"

" _That_ was the first time? I have to say, I'm a little insulted now."

May laughed. "Come on, you know what I mean."

"I know, don't worry." Blake ended her comment with a sigh. "I've always hated goodbyes, you know. When I ran from my team after the fall of Beacon, I never said goodbye to them. Part of it was that I was scared, but another part was that I didn't know what to say. Goodbyes seem so. . . final. I think part of me thought that without saying goodbye, I wasn't really gone."

"I think you're thinking about it too hard," May smiled at her. "'Hello' and 'Goodbye' are just a greeting and a closing, like a letter! Just because one letter is finished doesn't mean it's the last one. You wait for a reply, and then continue the conversation."

"Even so, I'm not good at them so I want to make sure I do it properly this time."

May pouted, looking at the ferry. "Is it that time already?" The deafening sound of a foghorn answered her question, making her jump. "Damn, I guess it is. . . Alright, I'll let you go first."

Blake faced her, clasping both of May's hands in hers. Taking a deep breath, she spoke, "You had my back as often as I had yours. I can never thank you enough for that. And I couldn't have done this alone. So. . . thank you, May. You helped me find the strength to move forward."

"That was pretty good, as far as goodbyes go," May laughed. "I don't think you have much to worry about."

Blake smiled with relief. "I'm glad to hear that. I was nervous."

May didn't respond, instead taking a moment to gather her thoughts. "After my Brawnz and Roy died, I was so angry. I was angry, scared, and alone. And while I'm still angry, I feel less scared and less alone now. Thank you for filling a part of me that I thought would be empty for the rest of my life. It hurts, but it's easier to smile and laugh now, so thank you, Blake. I couldn't have done it alone."

Blake was left speechless, unable to stop herself from tearing up, her throat tightening.

May leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed her sweetly, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. "Goodbye, Blake. I'll see you soon!"

"Two months," she choked out.

"As soon as two months!"

And then, with a wave and a smile, May turned and walked down the pier to her ferry. Blake watched her go, and when May appeared leaning on the railing at the stern of the ship, she waved. May waved back as the ferry began its voyage, until her figure became a small dot on the horizon.

With a smile and a deep breath, Blake pushed down her sadness and allowed herself to smile. _Two months isn't so long. I'm sure it'll pass by faster than I think. I'll see her again soon. Besides, I need to focus on helping Yang heal._

She walked away from the pier, directing her footsteps toward an open-air cafe. There were still a couple hours before Taiyang would return with Yang, plenty of time to enjoy the fresh air of Patch and listen to the hustle and bustle of passers-by.

As she approached, a barista greeted her. "Hello miss, what can I get you today?"

"Green tea please," Blake answered instinctively. "Actually, scratch that. Coffee, if you will."

"Of course. Is there a special brew you would like?"

Blake thought for a moment, a smile gracing her lips.

"Something from Vacuo."


	25. Epilogue: Letters

**The Epilogue Letters, featuring a daughter, her father, and a red-haired woman that may be familiar.**

* * *

 _Dear Dad,_

 _I never knew just how slowly time passes when on the road! After Blake came back we spent two months getting me back into shape and testing my new arm; those days felt like they lasted a much shorter time than they actually did. But now that we're gone, it's like time is moving at half speed. I've been gone for a month, but it feels like I only left days ago._

 _Travelling with Blake, May, and Nolan has been a pretty fun! I knew Blake already so I wasn't worried about that, but I'm glad that May and Nolan turned out to be pretty cool people. We've all been through some really hard times, but It's nice to be around friends that are supportive and understanding. Blake and May also make a really cute couple, I can tell they trust each other with their lives._

 _In somewhat related news, my arm is doing well! Every time I think I've got it figured out, it goes and surprises me even more. Cool stuff, Atlas tech. The phantom pain is still there sometimes, and my nightmares have only slowed down marginally, but I suppose the road to being fully healed is more than just a physical journey. Even so, I don't regret what I did, not for a second. Although I lost that part of myself, I'm proud that I've found something to fight for. Teammates aren't just teammates; they're family too._

 _How is everything going at Signal? If I'm remembering correctly, the new semester will have started by the time you get this letter. Are the kids nice? Any cool new classes? I wanna hear everything!_

 _Anyway, I'll keep this brief - we're about to get moving again. We should reach a town in about three days, and from there Mistral is just a train ride away. I can't wait to see Ruby again! I'll send another letter when we arrive. I hope to hear from you soon, and maybe we can even talk on scrolls then too!_

 _Love you!_

 _Yang Xiao Long_

* * *

 _Dear Yang,_

 _Congrats on reaching Mistral! How are you? It's been two months since you left home, and the house couldn't be quieter. I'm glad I've got Zwei with me, otherwise the house would border on being too quiet. Although, I suppose occasionally hearing about you and Ruby on the news is good enough for me. That reminds me, I'm really glad that you and Ruby finally managed to meet up. This family has a tendency to drift; so I'm glad that my daughters at least are together. And since you're under Qrow's wing, I have little to worry about. Well, just make sure not to pick up his drinking habit!_

 _I'm glad you're getting along well with May and Nolan. They were only here for a few days before you left, but they seemed like genuinely good people. Not everyone on Remnant is like that, so hold onto the good people in your life. You're doing great things out there. I know you're still hot on the trail of the people that ruined Beacon, but please, make sure to rest a little too. If her letters are anything to go by, Ruby missed you alot._

 _In other news, there's a new teacher at Signal Academy! Her name is Garnet, and she (coincidentally) teaches one of this semester's new classes, History of the White Fang. I actually met her for the first time in the hospital when I was with you to get your prosthetic arm fitted._

 _She hasn't told me, but I've picked up on the truth. She used to be a member of the White Fang herself. I'm not sure how she managed to get out (it probably had something to do with why she was in the hospital in the first place, which is another thing she prefers to stay silent about), but I think she's trying to make a change. She's good with the kids, and that's good enough for me. What's important is how she acts now, rather than her past. I think she's trying to make up for a lot of wrong she's done. Either way, it's not like she's an actual threat to anyone; she's perpetually on crutches. But to be safe, I'll be keeping a friendly eye on her. Maybe it's not true for everyone, but I think she can change._

 _I know I did. After I lost not only Raven but Summer too, I definitely changed. Not for the better. It was especially hard for you and Ruby, I put you two through a lot by not being a good father for those two years. They're painful memories, but I hope someday we can look back on them and smile, knowing we're so much closer. I've never apologized for that, I wasn't really sure how to, or if it would even help. But for what it's worth, I'm sorry. But more than that, I want to thank you. You took care of your sister when I didn't, and you did a damn good job of it too._

 _You've really grown into a woman Summer and I can be proud of. Raven would be proud too, in her own way. To have a daughter as amazing as you, well, it's every man's dream!_

 _Anyway, I'm rambling. Take care of your sister, stay safe, and don't forget that I'm rooting for you._

 _Love,_

 _Taiyang Xiao Long_

* * *

 _Dear Dad,_

 _It sounds like somebody has a crush! I haven't heard you go on about anyone like that in a while! But in all seriousness, I'm glad you have somebody new to talk to. There was a time where I might've gotten angry with you for thinking about anybody other than Summer, but I like to think I've. . . grown up recently. Losing my arm made me realize just how important it is to keep moving forward, to never lose momentum. Or at least to reestablish it as quickly as possible. I know mom would be happy for you too. So as far as I'm concerned, you have my blessing! I'm excited to meet her._

 _Ruby and I are doing well. She actually just finished writing a letter to you, can you beleive how good her penmanship has gotten? She leaves for six months and becomes an accomplished writer, what's up with that? She still makes me proofread though, so I guess some things haven't completely changed. We've got a really large group of people now! Off the top of my head, there's a total of nine of us - ten if you count Uncle Qrow. Team RWBY is back together finally, Weiss just got to Mistral and found us! She'd been having a hard time back in Atlas, and I guess she ended up running away from her family. From what I've heard about some of the Schnees, I think Weiss is better off with us anyway. She sends her regards, by the way, and hopes we can all visit soon._

 _But on a more serious note, you don't need to apologize. I hope you haven't been carrying that kind of guilt around since then. It's true, finding out who exactly my mother was and why she left all those years ago was something that haunted me for a long time, and I'd be lying if I said I still wasn't interested. But I never blamed you for how you reacted. Back then, I couldn't imagine how hard it must've been to lose two people you loved so dearly. I think I understand that a bit better now. I'm lucky though, Blake came back to me, and that's not something I'll ever take for granted. I suppose I owe you an apology as well, watching my healing process couldn't have been fun._

 _But I'm Yang Xiao Long, your little sunny dragon. There's nothing on this planet that I can't bounce back from, and that's a fact. As long as there's evil in this world, I'll be chasing after it to crush it and pave the way for sunlight to shine._

 _Maybe that was over the top, but you get the gist of it! I'll keep in touch, and I'll be sure to tell Blake and May hi for you. Have fun with the new semester, and make sure to tell the kids legendary tales of your kickass daughters!_

 _Love you!_

 _Yang Xiao Long_

 _Ps: Does Garnet by chance have long red hair? Blake mentioned something about meeting a woman with hair like that before she came to Patch._

* * *

 _Dear Yang,_

 _I'm not sure when this is getting to you since you guys are travelling, but for reference I'm writing this about three weeks after I received your last letter. Sorry it took so long, school this year has been unusually busy! You should see the kids, I don't know what it is about this group but the lot of them are incredibly sharp and driven. I've yet to see any laziness at all! Reminds me of you and Ruby._

 _But to talk about Garnet, I suppose I'm not only getting older, but also more predictable! Although, what's all this talk about "getting your blessing?" It's not like we're considering marriage or anything!_

 _. . . Ah crap, I suppose I just incriminated myself there by implying that Garnet and I talk about our relationship often. Well, since I'm too lazy to grab a new piece of paper and start over, I'll just tell the truth. Garnet and I have started a relationship, so you hit the nail on the head. We spend a lot of time together. At first I was keeping a careful eye on her, but that's definitely not necessary now. In fact, she recently moved in._

 _I think she's still getting used to living with crutches. She helps me oversee some of the combat classes at Signal and I can tell she used to be an incredibly good fighter. Now that she needs to rely on the crutches though, she's fallen more than a few times. She's never complained or gotten angry though, not once. I'm sure it's hard suddenly having your mobility taken like that, but when we talked about it she disagreed. "I wouldn't accept anything less," is what she said. While I'm not sure exactly what she's referring to, I'm glad she's content at least, and I'm not going to pry._

 _Oh and to answer your question Garnet actually has pretty short hair, although she did mention once wearing it long. She said something about trying to lessen her "intenseness," whatever that means. I suppose if she weren't on crutches and had long hair she could be somewhat intense, but if so then that's something she left behind._

 _I'll go ahead and cut this letter short, we actually need to be heading out about now (it's 7:45am.) or we'll be late to classes. Hopefully you'll be able to come visit sometime soon, I'd be thrilled to see you. If all else fails, I'll come to Mistral during one of the breaks, I think we've got one coming up soon. If semblances are any indication, I think you'll get along well with Garnet, her semblance is pretty fiery! (You'll see what I mean soon enough)_

 _I have the coolest daughters in the world. I love you Yang, stay safe and have fun._

 _Love,_

 _Taiyang Xiao Long_


End file.
